Drowning in Darkness
by letharnyx
Summary: A seemingly harmless get-together for the legendary bladers turns out to be a catastrophic event. Two bladers are missing- and there's a whole new legend for them to uncover. They have to find a way to save Dynamis from the darkness before it's too late- but the question is, will they succeed?
1. Chapter 1

"2 minutes until move, Master."

"Good. Is everyone in their positions, Kage?"

"Yes Master."

"Countdown, Kage. 5."

"4."

"3."

"2."

"1."

The black and gold haired boy jumped of the railing, making the slightest bit of sound. A lavender haired boy sprung up, his sapphire eyes darting around. He met the gaze of unsettling forest green eyes, with metallic gold rims.

A purple bey gleamed in the darkness as it sped towards him. Snorting, the boy launched his own. A black beyblade with a silver heavy-set energy ring and a gold spiked performance tip.

"Kinzoku Werewolf, Silent Steel Crush," the boy whispered. A metallic silver light filled the room.

The attack wasn't aimed at the bey, it was aimed at the blader. The agonized scream suddenly grew quiet as the blader fell, limp, to the floor. A smirk appeared on his face.

"So, the key. The greatest potential. The power will be kept for ourselves." He chuckled darkly before he and his accomplices disappeared into the night.

A magenta haired child woke up to the sudden flash. Everything was eerily still and quiet. "What happened?" He called, but there was no response. He sighed, dipping into the bowl and reapplying his face paint. "Must be lightning..." He muttered, flopping back onto his bed and falling asleep.

"Mission accomplished, Master."

"Very good, Kage. Quick as always. Now no one can stop us."

The lavender haired boy's eyes flew open. He held his breath.

Acrid, thick turquoise liquid bubbled and surrounded him. He tried to move his arms, but failed. He started to panic, as a soft voice cooed out.

"We're going to have so much fun."

That was the last thing he heard before a jolt of painful electricity coursed through him and he fell back into a deep slumber

"Who's left, Gingka?"

The redhead frowned as he looked through the list, turning to his green-haired friend.

"Just Tithi and Dynamis. Huh. We sent a helicopter for them hours ago." He replied. Kenta grumbled and Tsubasa wordlessly passed him a ice-cream. He smiled and went to sit with Yu, who was licking one too.

"Just, mm, saying, Yu, how does Tsubasa, mm, afford all this ice cream, mm, for the both of us? Not that I'm, mm, ungrateful." He asked.

"Frankly, I'm not sure-OH! There's a helicopter!"

The kids jumped around happily as the helicopter landed. All the guests for the get together were here! "Tithi!" They yelled, running to meet their friend.

Instead, the pink-haired blader, whose hair was cut shorter, had tears in his eyes. He approached his friends, and looked at them, his teary eyes red and puffy. "Hi..." He said, sighing.

Gingka frowned and walked over. He put his hand on Tithi's shoulders. "Hey Tithi! Are you OK? Where's Dynamis?!" He had not seen the Jupiter blade at all. This just upset Tithi even more. He burst into tears, wailing.

"Dynamis..."

"Dynamis is missing."


	2. Chapter 2

****Hi Everyone, I'm back! Please enjoy and review as always! :D****

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"MISSING?!" Gingka yelled.

"Oi, Gingka, I'm right next to you- wait, WHAT? Dynamis is missing?" Chris exclaimed. Everyone else just stared at the group, speechless.

"How can we find him, Gingky?" Yu, Kenta and Tithi asked. Tsubasa attempted the calm the boys down.

Ryo came in. "I, THE IMMORTAL PHOENIX, HAVE ARRIVED-"

Hikaru glared and cleared her throat.

"Yes, the Director of the WBBA. Now, boys, why so glum? Don't tell me you hated the idea of a get together-"

"Dynamis's missing."

"How?" Roy asked seriously. He was the Director of the WBBA after all, and finding a missing blader was his job.

"We don't know. He just disappeared." Tithi said between choked sobs. "Director, can you find him?" He started bawling again. Dynamis, his "older brother"had disappeared without a trace. No wonder he was upset. Madoka went into the kitchen to make some steaming hot chocolate for him while Gingka comforted the crying boy.

"Does he have any family?" Ryo asked.

The whole gang kept quiet. None of them, except Tithi knew Dynamis very well, and he had never mentioned any family members to them.

"Now that you mention it, Dynamis said he had an older sister, Astri..." Tithi trailed off. Tsubasa was already flipping quickly through the phone book, looking for Astri Hikari's number. Then, he punched some buttons on a laptop. A teenager's scowling face popped up on the screen.

"What do you want?!"

"She looks like Dynamis..." Yu muttered under his breath. The teenager had pale lavender hair with vibrant violent tips. Her hair fell down to her waist. Her eyes were a startling sky blue, contrasting with her dark skin. She wore a black shirt and a red jacket over it.

"Are you Dynamis's sister?"

"So what if I am? And who are you?!"

"Well, Dynamis has gone missing and we would like your help to find him..."

The teen's demeanor changed completely. "Hang on, where are you? I'm coming."

~1 day later~

Astri flung her bag on the floor and glared at Gingka. Fire burned in her eyes and she grabbed Gingka.

"WHAT HAPPENED TO MY LITTLE BROTHER? YOU BETTER EXPLAIN OR ELSE! OR I WILL GIVE YOU A TASTE OF MY BEY!"

Gingka winced, choking. "Sheesh...can't breathe..."

Astri wasn't listening. She did some martial arts move on Gingka and left him writhing in pain on the ground before storming out of the door. Gingka, Chris, Yu and Tithi chased after her. Finally, they caught up, panting heavily.

"Wait up!"

"No time! THIS IS MY BROTHER WE'RE TALKING ABOUT!"

Astri exploded again and walked off briskly. She scowled and her fist clenched over her bey.

"Skia bladers, if you're behind this, you are so getting it."

"What's a Skia blader?"

The girl scowled again, her features hardening. "I guess I have to tell to tell you, don't I? The Skia bladers is an organization that takes in several bladers. It's suspected that they are after the Ourano Bladers." The others gasped. Astri had managed to get through one sentence without yelling.

"What's a-"

"An Ourano blader possesses great skill and power, even more than the Legendary Bladers. However, even if all of them have been found but the "key", the most important Ourano blader, the Skia Bladers will not be defeated."

Make that two speeches.

"Wait...if an Ourano blader has an evolved bey, then what about my Flash Orion?" Chris asked.

"And my Kikoeru Libra?"

"And my Destiny Quetzalcoatl?"

Astri rolled her eyes as she reluctantly swept a careless glance over the carefully polished beys.

Suddenly, she gasped.

"That bey! Libra! It's an Ourano bey, no doubt! Sorry, the other two are not."

Yu looked elated. "So cool!"

Just then, they came across a bey park. Yu and Tithi high-fiver and ran off to one stadium, their launchers ready.

Astri looked like she was going to beat up the two kids. "We're wasting time! LET'S GO ALREADY!" Gingka smiled. "Well, you could just allow one battle... And I would like to see your bey too."

Astri sulked as she was dragged to the other available stadium. She pulled out her bey, Celestial Starlight. It was a pretty gold bey with a silver winged fusion wheel, a black energy ring, and a rubber performance tip.

"Let it rip!"

The four beys flew high up into the sky, light reflecting off their shining metal frames, before landing in the stadium, heading straight at each other.

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**So...hope you enjoyed:)**

**I'm not sure how many OC's I'm going to use though. If you even read until here, I'll post the next chapter soon...hopefully. :P**


	3. Chapter 3

Nile's POV:

I clawed at Tsubasa, who held me back. "C'mon, let me go!" I snapped. Just then, a jolt of pain ran up my arm and I stumbled down, weakened. Clutching my arm in pain, I tried to show a nonchalant look on my face. "You're still injured, Nile, you can't go!" (A/N: If you don't understand, read my other fic, Untold) Tsubasa said. He dumped me in my "room" which I shared with the gold-haired kid. I groaned as I heard the unmistakable click of the door being locked. Sitting crosslegged on my bed, I took out Horuseus.

It glowed a brilliant gold and I gasped as the metal heated up in my hand. Light engulfed my Vulcan Horuseus, and I shielded my face with my other hand.

When the light died down, I stared at my bey. Still gold, but a thick black fusion wheel now and a new performance tip. I looked at the bey, my darker self taking over momentarily.

_You're back?! But I learnt to trust!_

**Oh, Master Nile, I am a part of you!**

I groaned as I returned back to normal. On top of all my other wounds, I had a splitting headache. But I knew what to call the bey.

Shining Horuseus.

"What a lovely name," I heard. My head immediately jerked back and I saw a woman hovering in a helicopter outside a window. She had dark blue hair, cyan eyes and a tall, lanky physique. Those creepy eyes stared at me, fixed and unmoving.

"H-How did you know?" I scooted back a few inches. The woman landed the plane and jumped inside effortlessly. Her lips twisted into a smirk as she used a cold, manicured finger to tip my chin, so that I had to stare directly at those eyes. "Shining Horuseus, huh... interesting. And as to how I know you...call it mind-reading," she said. "I have an offer for you. Join us. Do you really want to be stuck here all day? If you join us, you'll be freed from your pain, you'll meet strong bladers."

_Strong bladers...very strong indeed..._

I was so tempted to just jump out. But then...

_"Nile, promise me you'll battle me first when you recover?"_

_"Yu..."_

_"Nile, I'm not the same kid I used to be. I'm stronger. And I want you to stay with me."_

_"Hmph."_

_"Nile!" The blonde jumped up, enraged. "No one takes me seriously! I thought you would be different!"_

_"No one blades seriously when I battle them. I don't want to be taken lightly just because I'm a kid. That's just not fair."_

_I felt so touched by his words. In his little hand was his newly evolved bey, Kikoeru Libra, staring straight at me. How could I resist?_

_I nodded. "It's a deal."_

_The kid grinned, and his emerald eyes lit up and gazed at me._

_"Thanks, Nile! You're the best!"_

I didn't regret doing that. Yu, though childish, was a strong blader. I had smiled slightly at the look of utter joy on his face as he hugged me tightly.

"No thanks. I promised my friend that I would battle him first," I said defiantly. She wasn't shocked, or surprised, or anything that I had expected. She just smiled again.

"My offer stands." she said as she jumped back into the helicopter. I gasped as she glared at me before she left, her lips moving. In the strong wind that had just started, her words were lost, but somehow, I knew exactly what those words were.

_"Or I will force you."_

* * *

"Quetzalcoatl!"

"Libra!"

"Ashen Spark!"

"What? Right now!?" Yu exclaimed as the yellow bey spiraled into the air and crashed down hard on Libra. The green bey, even a stamina type, wobbled slightly from the impact.

Chris cheered them on. "Go, guys!"

Yu frowned in concentration as he focused on Tithi's commands.

_40 degrees left...and then about 2 cm to the right... now spinning 60 degrees to the right. In about 7.9204 seconds, I should have the opening!_

He closed his eyes, visualising Quetzalcoatl's movements.

"Go now!" His eyes snapped open and Libra smashed into the bey with utmost precision.

"AH! Quetzalcoatl!" Tithi called as the bey wobbled. "Ishtar Impact, Quetzalcoatl!"

The bey glowed yellow and the beast-Quetzalcoatl-appeared.

The bey slammed into Libra, causing a massive amount of damage. Yu began to break out in a cold sweat. _I don't wanna lose!_ He growled as Libra circled the stadium once again, waiting out the battle. Something inside him erupted and he glowed a bright green.

Tithi stepped back. "Yu?" he asked nervously.

"_I'm not losing, Tithi!"_ he said. Libra glowed as well as it charged up energy. Gingka and Astri looked up, momentarily blinded with green light.

"LIBRA! FINAL INFERNAL VORTEX!" The stadium was engulfed in energy and Quetzalcoatl was sucked into the column of green energy, wobbling dangerously.

"I"M NOT DONE YET! QUETZALCOATL!" The yellow bey suddenly stopped wobbling as Tithi glowed amber.

"Let's finish this, Yu!"

"Back at ya!"

"Quetzalcoatl, ISHTAR IMPACT!" Tithi yelled as Quetzalcoatl rushed towards Libra.

"Libra, tip the scales! EBONY OBLIBERATION!" A black aura surrounded the line bey and a massive blast of dark energy was launched.

There was a giant explosion and smoke filled the stadium. When it cleared, Quetzalcoatl had stopped spinning and Libra was wobbling.

"Great battle Tithi!"

"It was fun!"

Gingka focused back on his battle, which Pegasus was slowly dominating. Astri smirked. Suddenly, Starlight started spinning faster and pushed Pegasus back.

"_Go, Celestial Starlight!"_

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**I had fun writing the battle. It's my first proper battle scene. Anyway, I'm looking forward to writing the next chapter...  
**


	4. Chapter 4

**Enjoy the chapter!**

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Dynamis opened his eyes once again. He looked around but he was still trapped. Just then, a voice echoed around the room, making him gasp in shock.

**_What a strong blader you are, hmm..._**

_Who-who are you?_

_**That is not necessary. I think it'll be fun doing this.**_

_What are you going to do to me?!_

Dynamis tried to break free, pounding his fists against the impossibly unbreakable glass. He gritted his teeth as he tried, again and again.

**_I'm afraid that's not going to work._**

He was running, running from something. A dark fog tried to grab at him but he managed to narrowly escape. The shadows were everywhere, and he had only one way to go.

Forward.

He ran, recklessly charging forward as the shadows merged into one form.

Himself, cloaked in dark robes and a sadistic smirk on his face. A gold pendent with a ruby gem was encrusted in the middle of the intricate piece.

_Hades Curse? But how? Wasn't the pendant destroyed?_

He held his breath as shadows slipped out from beneath his feet, preventing him from running. They slowly wound its way around his body, until it blanketed him. He felt it hard to breath and his eyes involuntarily closed.

_You cannot escape Hades Curse._

Suddenly, he found himself staring at the bleak turquoise void once again. His breathing slowed as the indigo fog lifted.

_What was that?_

**_This liquid...brings you your worst nightmare. You still have nightmares that HADES CURSE is going to return, don't you?_**

The boy whimpered as the fog returned.

He was back in his nightmare. This time, the shadows had monstrous crimson eyes that glared at him. From its unseen mouth came terrifying words.

**You're the descendant to accept Hades Curse? Pathetic. I'll give you ten seconds. Ten.**

He didn't bother to look behind him as he sprinted forward. The only sound was the deafening sound of blood roaring in his ears and the shadows' scathing remarks.

**Nine.**

His heart pounded wildly as he tried to escape,.

**Eight.**

_This is...just a dream, no, a nightmare..._

**Seven.**

The booming voice spurred him on, and all he could think about was the curse.

**Six.**

The curse of Hades would return.

**Five.**

Dynamis began to question his existence.

**Four.**

The darkness merged into a form. His darker self.

**Three.**

Inky shadows slithered dangerously close around his feet, but he slipped out.

**Two.**

The exhaustion seemed so real, and he collapsed on the floor.

**One.**

Dynamis screamed as darkness enveloped him, the black chains pinning him down, the taste of smoke in his lungs, the drowning feeling he had.

**This is a game of fate that you will never outrun.**

Pain.

Pain to levels that he had not experienced before.

But he felt something else too.

Doubt. He was always the cursed one. His father hated him for that. His sister was the star of the family. Even when he was a Legendary blader and helped defeat Nemesis, his father only commented that he had only helped to contribute to its revival.

_Why am I even thinking this?_

He was back in the real world. Except, this time, a beystadium was in front of him. The liquid had receded somewhat, and he saw two beys.

One was the bey that he had fought before, Kinzoku Werewolf. It's gold fusion wheel gleamed. He observed the jagged blades hidden on the fusion wheel.

Spinning on the other side of the stadium was...

_Jupiter?!_

The boy pounded on the glass, as he tried to reach the purple bey. Jupiter didn't do anything, it just stayed there while Werewolf hit it. Its owner- the boy with black and gold hair- smirked, his green eyes filled with evil and desire.

"Werewolf, Howling Fang!"

The layered fusion wheel suddenly shifted and Dynamis blinked in surprise. Now, the hidden spikes were exposed, and a tiny fragment of his bey broke off and dropped to the stadium floor. Dynamis' eyes widened. "No!" he screamed. The piece of metal was just like a piece of his soul.

He knew that Jupiter stood no chance, yet he continued to hope uselessly...

Werewolf struck Jupiter over and over again. Dynamis couldn't control Jupiter.

_Stop! Why are you doing this?_

_**Ha...I'm sorry. To achieve my goals, I need you.**_

The lavender haired boy screamed as electricity worked its way up his body again. He tried to resist, he tried to fight. The flashes of shadows threatening to take over his vision, the pain from the electricity, the fear and insecurity he had since...since forever. He tried to fight it all. There was, however, one thing that he plagued him. The little, sinister voice whispering in the back of his mind. It was soft, but it gave him a headache. At first, it was so soft, so gradual, he didn't even notice the growth in it's strength. Lately, he was struggling to keep everything from Tithi. The little boy didn't need to know his troubles. Dynamis just wanted to curl up, in that prison of glass, surrounded by the turquoise liquid, bleak, unmoving. He wanted to close his eyes, drift into the blissful unconsciousness, forget about all the pain, all the trouble. He just wanted to sleep and escape everything.

**_Sleep...you'll feel better._**

The soft voice was so tempting. He just wanted to. He just had to. He felt his muscles relax, his body sinking, sinking lower, until he reached the very bottom. He felt the voice dying down, everything just being a little more bearable as he slipped, slowly, unknowing, into the darkness of unconsciousness.

When he woke, he found himself drowsy. He struggled to take hold of his body as the evil voice had increased in strength, once again. He felt helpless, as he was dragged into the void. Shadows writhed under his feet, eagerly waiting to devour him. He struggled, but he was held down.

**I win even if you break through. Your life force is tied to me.**

He hated to admit it, but it was true. His soul was tied to Hades Curse. He tried to block his ears, but the voice rang out clearly in his head.

**The outcome is the same, no matter what. Just GIVE UP. Give UP...Give Up...give up...give up...**

_"N-no! Stop! Please stop this!" _the boy screamed as the two words whirled around his head.

Something nagged at him to stop.

_Why bother anyway? Can I win?_

He started to break. He felt out of control, as his body floated in the pitch darkness.

Was there anything more to save?

The lady smiled slightly as she heard the tortured cries slowly dying, the boy's eyes finally closing as he gave in.

"The first step is complete. I will reign."

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**This is why I was looking forward to writing this. Maybe its because I like torturing my favourite Beyblade characters (especially Dynamis:D) Oh well. I'm updating really fast now because these chapters are prewritten (except for this). So expect less updates!**


	5. Chapter 5

**Enjoy:D**

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"Go, Pegasus!" Gingka exclaimed as the blue bey hit Starlight. Unexpectedly, it pushed back and Pegasus was almost sent out of the stadium. Barely managing to hold its ground, it escaped. Starlight chased right after it as Astri smirked.

"This is the Number 1 blader? I'm disappointed," Astri twirled a lock of her lavender hair around her finger. That made Gingka angry.

"Pegasus, Cosmic Tornado!" Gingka commanded. The blue bey went into Final Drive mode and moved around in a circle. striking Starlight. The gold bey, being an attack type and not having a lot of defense or stamina, started to wobble.

"Not bad! Escape, Starlight!" Astri's bey suddenly whirled around in the other direction and raced away. Gingka was shocked.

"But how-?"

"Celestial Starlight is able to rotate its slanted performance tip when I command it to! This gives it amazing mobility!" the girl yelled as Starlight dodged Pegasus by suddenly skidding to the right. She weighed her options as Starlight spun around the stadium.

_This battle is getting fun, I'll have to admit that. After all, Gingka is the number 1 blader. I could let it drag on, but I need to look for Dynamis. I need to save my little brother._

Starlight headed towards the centre of the stadium and glowed. An energy field surrounded the gold bey and Pegasus was blown back.

"What the-" Gingka exclaimed. Pegasus hit the very edge of the stadium but managed to stay in. The whole stadium lit up in bright gold, as it became searing hot.

"It was nice battling you, but I'm in a rush. I'll end this right now! Starlight, Special Move! Blinding Star!" Astri shouted. The glow was dazzling and and a star-shaped energy surrounded Celestial Starlight. A ray of powerful golden light swept across the stadium, sending Pegasus flying out.

"What!" Gingka cried. He bent down to pick up his blue bey and Starlight flew back to Astri. "Now let's go!" she snapped, dragging Gingka, Tithi, Yu and Chris, Meanwhile, two pairs of eyes watched as the gang left.

"Radioing Headquarters. Good news, Master. The bladers you requested for have been found. They are heading towards Garnyle City, and will be reaching in approximately two hours.

"Very well. How is the status on the other side, in Metal Bey City?"

"All clear, Master. Everything is in place."

"Very good. You are dismissed."

"Thank you, Master."

Nile looked up from his book as a box flew into his head. He scowled as he flung it on the floor, his emerald eyes flashing with fury. "Who in their right mind throws things through other people's window's?" he muttered. The box was made of polished metal and had some fancy panel on its sides. Nile picked it up to attract it when suddenly...

**I'm back.**

_What? Go away! _Nile mentally snapped at the stupid voice, trying to ignore it. But the voice continued to grow, hissing in Nile's ears.

**The box...interesting. Why don't you open it?**

_Why should I listen to you?_ Nile retorted, turning back to his book.

**Because you should, and will. **Then, the box opened by itself. Gasping, Nile jumped back, staring at the box. Inside was a scroll of ancient Egyptian Symbols. Nile ran his eyes over it.

_The curse, the curse will take over_

_Feel it, feel and drown in its power_

_This spell raises the spirit's curse_

_Former self will drown and disappear_

_The curse, the curse_

**Good, good! I feel the power! **

Nile winced as the voice roared in his ears. The spirit rejoiced and grew louder. He clutched his chest in pain, trying to keep the spirit at bay, like he always managed to do. However, it didn't work this time. The curse slowly grew, so gradually. The markings and symbols glowed as the spirit fed on the power of the spell.

_No! Stop!_

**No use. The spell is an ancient one, very powerful indeed.**

With a final insult, darkness enveloped Nile. The boy was hurled into a void as the spirit took over him. He looked on, into the eternal black...

The curse stretched its lips into a smirk. It felt too good to be in control again. He heard Nile's voice demanding to be let free, but ignored it. He wouldn't let go of this chance to wreck havoc, now wouldn't he? He walked out of the room and ran into Tsubasa, who stared at him in surprise. The curse raised an eyebrow at him.

_So this is the silver-haired person taking care of Master? How pathetic. He looks like a girl, but I won't tell him that. _It mused, staring straight at the teenager's golden brown eyes. "Where are you going, Nile?" Tsubasa demanded.

_Now, now, no need to be so pushy, _the curse thought as he lied skilfully. "Going to the park for a walk. None of your business." Tsubasa considered that for a moment and the curse took that opportunity to stride past him. "Well, there's no harm," he said, turning to speak to Nile. He found himself staring at the empty space opposite him. He headed back to his room. "He seemed different... maybe I've been cooping him up too much, and he's annoyed. I should let him get some outside air more often," he said.

He casually strolled past the crowd. Somehow, he knew exactly where he was going. Finally, he paused in front of a tall silver building. A dark smile formed on his face as he pushed open the door. He had reached at last.

Nile tried to escape but something pinned him down. It was like a chain, a cold malicious chain. He could hear the curse's voice clearly as it echoed through its head.

"I have arrived."

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**So...Nile is evil now. That's bad. Poor him. Anyway, please review! Critiques are welcome! **


	6. Chapter 6

**Hi everyone, enjoy! Another of my OC's is introduced in this chapter!**

* * *

"Where are we going again?" Astri said, bored. They had been walking for an hour, and she had been forced to fork out money to buy Yu and Tithi ice-cream. Even worse, the two kids were now on a major sugar rush and were running everywhere.

"Garnyle City. There's a famous Beypark there, so maybe we'll find one of the Ourano Bladers!" Gingka replied happily. He received a kick to the face.

"The priority now is to save Dynamis, isn't it? Since when did we want to find Ourano Bladers?" Astri snapped, unhappy that Gingka had forgotten about her little brother.

"Oh yeah. But the Ourano Bladers may give us clues..." Gingka said sheepishly. Yu and Tithi's incessant chatter was starting to get to them. The two boys could not shut up, and that was the _third_ ice-cream they had bought.

Finally, they arrived in Garnyle City, with Gingka rushing towards the hamburger shop nearby, Yu and Tithi spying an ice-cream shop and running towards it, and a _very_ annoyed Astri holding all three of them back. Gingka suddenly thought of something.

"Where did Chris go? He was with us a minute ago..."

They pondered when suddenly, they heard excited chatter. Excited, they rushed to the Beypark. It was a spacious building with a massive, immaculate stadium, and they could clearly hear the pleasant, familiar sound of metal against metal. Two beys raced around it. One was a girl with two blond pigtails, magenta eyes and peachy skin. She wore a dark pink sweater over a white shirt and black leggings. Her brows were furrowed in immense concentration, as she tried to find a way to attack. On the other side was...

"Chris!"

The blond boy commanded Orion to wait the battle out, but the girl wouldn't let him. "Go now, Roe!" The girl said, as her green bey delivered a barrage attack. Chris smirked. "That won't work, little sis!" he said, as Orion escaped to the other end of the stadium.

"Little sis? Chris has a SISTER?" Tithi said, still hyped up from all the candy. Yu was the same, bouncing up and down in disbelief.

"Let's finish this NOW! I need my candy!" The small girl whined. Gingka and Astri watched.

"Flash Orion! Special Move, Brilliant Flash Blast!" Chris yelled.

"Forest Roe! Special Move, Nature Crash!" the girl cried.

A blinding blast of red energy headed towards the dark green bey. Then, the girl's bey spirit emerged. A beautiful, young deer with magnificent, velvet-coated antlers. It charged gracefully towards Orion, surrounded by a pink, yellow and green swirling energy. A massive explosion rocked the arena as the two special moves clashed. A pink, yellow, green and red blast shot into the sky before the smoke drifted away, revealing the results.

Forest Roe had stopped spinning and Orion was spinning steadily in the arena thanks to Bearing Drive. Chris caught it and ran over to his sister, who looked depressed. He ruffled her hair playfully. "Don't worry, it's your first time! That was amazing!" he exclaimed. She knocked his hand away and smacked his head. "Don't. Ruffle. My. Hair!" she yelled, chasing her older brother out of the arena. The gang caught up to him.

"Chris, you never told us you had a sister!" Yu, finally off his sugar rush demanded.

"You never asked..." he started, and Astri kicked him. "Then, introduce us!" she yelled in his ear. She had a weird premonition. _Forest Roe, a balance type. It has amazing defense and attack, because of the multiple blades on its double-thickness Guard Fusion Wheel. It just may be..._ she thought.

"Hey, Astri! You spaced out for like, a full minute! Are you okay?" Gingka asked, waving a hand in front of her face. She blinked and screamed at him. "YES I'M FINE! WHAT IS WRONG WITH DAYDREAMING?YOU THINK OF BURGERS ALL THE TIME!" Gingka was covering his ears and complaining about possible deafness.

"Um, so this is my younger sister, Ril," Chris said, earning a glare from his sister. "It's Riley!" she said. Gingka rolled his eyes. "Girls..."

"WHAT DID YOU SAY?" Riley and Astri started beating him up, while the others tried to break them apart.

After two hours, a very tired and beat-up Gingka emerged from the wrath of two angry girls. Chris had to use Orion to create an opening to separate the three people. Astri remembered what she had been wanting to say to Riley from the beginning.

"Riley, can we talk?"

* * *

"Let me get this straight. I'm an "Ourano Blader"? That's why Chris didn't completely crush me in my first battle?" Riley said. She sucked at a lollipop that Yu had magically produced from a giant stash of candy. _Great, she's starting to understand now..._Astri thought.

"Yep," she replied.

"Is she lying, Chris? Yu? Tithi?" Riley looked at her brother and her new friends.

"Yeah, Ril. She told us the same thing," Chris assured her.

"Yu's one to, and now he's super strong!" Tithi supplied, hi-fiving Yu. Riley, for once, ignored the fact that she had been called "Ril" again.

"Yes! I'm gonna beat Chris soon!" she cheered, taking a giant bite of her lollipop for emphasis.

Astri looked at her watch. "Anyway, we need to go now. We may need your help in the future, Riley!" she said.

"Wait, right now?" Gingka said.

"But I've not seen my sister in ages!" Chris protested.

"Don't care!" Astri said. She stood up to leave and Chris and Gingka followed her. Yu gave a bag of candy to Riley, who thanked him happily and unwrapped another lollipop. "Bye. guys!" she said, waving as they exited the house. "See you soon, Chris! Yu, Tithi, let's battle next time!" she added. Tithi smiled and the three kids shared a group hug.

* * *

"So, the fifth one has been found. Excellent."

"Yes, it certainly is, Master."

"Is the equipment for the second stage set up yet?"

"Nearing completion. Work can start tomorrow."

"Interesting. I can't wait."

* * *

**The next chapter will be about Dynamis again. Hope you enjoyed!**


	7. Chapter 7

***looks at word count* Wow. This is probably the longest chapter for this story so far. This is my first time using a song in my story, but I thought it would be fun. The song is "I am Titanium" by David Guetta. And this chapter is evil. Enjoy!**

* * *

The navy-haired woman smirked as she single-handedly operated the control desk. She felt so in control. The first stage had already been completed, though it had taken more time and effort than she had expected. That "key" was a fighter, no doubt. It would be hard to do this, but she had to try. She wanted badly to be in control. Her cyan eyes ran over the endless panel of buttons, stopping at one. Lifting a perfectly manicured finger, she tapped it.

"I think he has had enough of a nap."

"Ow..." Dynamis rubbed his head. He had been awoken by a painful shock, and he gasped when he saw a woman standing in front of him. She had sharp features, dark blue hair that was pulled back in flawless ponytail, unnaturally pale cyan eyes and she wore a grey jacket over a red shirt. As she spoke, he knew the voice. An all-too-familiar feeling of dread washed over him.

"Hello, _Dynamis."_

"Stop it! I'm already broken, what more do you want?" he whimpered, trying to back away, fear in his ocean blue depths. He didn't want to go through that painful torture again. He was broken, destroyed. He had no hope.

"Oh, don't worry, I'm here to introduce someone. Someone you might know, actually."

Dynamis blinked as he was thrown out of his glass prison. Extremely weak and suffering from malnutrition, he crumpled to the ground. The liquid was what kept him alive. He was kept in there all day, with no food or water. Who was that woman going to introduce? He didn't want to know. Something in her malicious voice unnerved him. He just wanted to shut the world out, keep himself in a world of isolation. This way, he wouldn't hurt anyone...and no one would hurt him. He raised his head, his vision blurred from traces of the horrible liquid in his eyes. He blinked several times and his sight cleared. The air pricked his skin, and he winced. How long had it been since he had last seen the outside world?

There was a muffled sound and the woman entered again. The sound of footsteps rang out clearly behind her.

It was Nile. The Egyptian teen that had led the group to Mist Mountain. He seemed nice enough, so why would he be in such a place? He seemed...different. His hair looked a shade darker, and his eyes were a different colour. He glanced down with disdain at the shivering Jupiter blader on the wall. He nudged Dynamis, his eyes amused. He spoke, but his voice was odd. Like the words were being forced from his mouth.

"The proud guardian has fallen. How interesting. Master Corisande told me to have fun. Now, where should we begin?" he sneered, a vicious smirk forming on his curled lips. Dynamis found himself cowering in fear. He tried not to show it, but he was slowly being consumed by fear-and the monster inside.

"How about...here?" Nile chuckled and snapped his fingers. A stadium rose to the surface, and Dynamis was surprised.

_A bey battle? But I don't have Jupiter!_

"I know what you're thinking, so here," Nile said as he threw Jupiter to Dynamis.

His bey was in pieces. Its performance tip was cracked badly, and its fusion wheel...was almost gone. "I can't do this!" Dynamis croaked hoarsely. Nile ignored him and launched Horuseus. Dynamis had no choice.

_I'm sorry, Jupiter. Please hang on!_

_You shout it out,  
But I can't hear a word you say  
I'm talking loud not saying much  
I'm criticized but all your bullets ricochet  
You shoot me down, but I get up_

His heart breaking, he launched his beloved bey into the stadium. It was unable to spin properly, and wobbled. Horuseus attacked it ferociously, making it fly out of the stadium. But Nile didn't stop.

"Horuseus, Dark Move, Hell's Curse!" Nile snarled. The bey was surrounded by murky black and Dynamis felt a pain in his chest. He struggled to stay awake. No, he just had to. There was still a spark of fighting spirit burning in his heart. Just a little, but it was enough. He refused to succumb, and a weak burst of energy coursed through him. He refused to give in to the unforgiving darkness, the nightmares, the never-ending nightmares that always tainted him.

_That move...it doesn't just hit the bey...it affects the blader too... but I can't give up..._

_I'm bulletproof, nothing to lose  
Fire away, fire away  
Ricochet, you take your aim  
Fire away, fire away  
You shoot me down but I won't fall  
I am titanium  
You shoot me down but I won't fall  
I am titanium_

He felt drowsy now. More drowsy. Still, he tried. He launched Jupiter again. Jupiter spun.

_As long as Jupiter spins, I will not give up._

The pain was too great. Dynamis could hardly focus on the battle in front of him. He forced his eyes open, and commanded one last move.

"Jupiter, Grand Lightning."

_Cut me down  
But it's you who'll have further to fall  
Ghost town and haunted love  
Raise your voice, sticks and stones may break my bones  
I'm talking loud not saying much_

Nile smirked. Horuseus was still at full strength. This would be fun.

"Horuseus, Demonic Inferno," he stated. A black tornado erupted from the bey, completely shattering Jupiter. Dynamis collapsed on the floor, unmoving.

At least he had tried.

_I'm bulletproof, nothing to lose  
Fire away, fire away  
Ricochet, you take your aim  
Fire away, fire away  
You shoot me down but I won't fall  
I am titanium  
You shoot me down but I won't fall  
I am titanium  
I am titanium  
I am titanium_

He was back in the horrible nightmare. This time, however, it was different. He had the feeling of being choked, or suffocated. He cast a fearful glance down. Darkness slithered around his neck, binding him. His hands and legs were trapped by indigo fog. Beads of sweat ran down his face as his dark self emerged from the fog, which floated around them, cloaking them in a strange chill.

_Stone-hard, machine gun  
Firing at the ones who run  
Stone-hard as bulletproof glass_

**How I love doing this. Let's get started, shall we?**

_P-please stop this! Don't you have enough?!_

**Why not have more? This is fate, after all.**

_You're a monster!_

**Yes, I am, and I'm proud of it.**

The curse touched Dynamis's neck and the Jupiter blader gasped from the icy cold touch. But there was more.

Right where he was touched, a dark aura emerged from the tips of his fingers and spilled onto Dynamis's neck. It enveloped him, and Dynamis screamed.

_You shoot me down but I won't fall  
I am titanium  
You shoot me down but I won't fall  
I am titanium  
You shoot me down but I won't fall  
I am titanium_

He had a drowning feeling. Murky water filled his lungs as he tried, but lost, again.

_You shoot me down,_

He was shot.

_But I won't fall_

But he fell.

* * *

**:( Poor Dynamis. Nile is so evil. I hope you enjoyed and that's not all the torture I have for him.**


	8. Chapter 8

**Hi...another torture chapter from me. This one's about Nile, though. And yes! There's another song! The lyrics are kind of morbid to match the mood. The song is "Falling" by David Archueleta. Enjoy!**

* * *

Nile's curse laughed darkly as he read the message from his master, his new one.

"You can have fun today. I've brought some guests for you. Hope you enjoy."

"Come on in," he said. Three people, a man, a teenager girl and a lanky boy entered. The man's brown hair was unkempt and his eyes were wild and dangerous. An evil glint seemed to lurk inside those dim green depths. Those eyes were once a sharp emerald, but a murky fog seemed to conceal the brightness, dimmed by years of drinking. _Good. He's a perfect guest,_ the curse thought as he eyed the man. He stared at him with a almost frightening hunger, an insatiable hunger for blood and hurt inflicted upon his son.

The girl had brown hair and large green eyes too, but the eyes were innocent and sparkling. A streak of orange tinted a lock of her hair, which fell around her shoulders. She looked worried, her lips pressed together tightly, cautiously staring at her brother, no, the _monster_ in front of her. So, this was Storm Horuseus, Nile's older sister by two years. Her tan skin, green eyes and hair colour proved that. However, she lacked the tattoos under her eyes.

The boy was the newcomer to the building. He had indigo hair with black highlights, pale skin, and light brown eyes. His hands were perpetually hidden under the folds of fabric of his black jacket. His denim jeans and scruffy red sneakers made him look like an average teen, except for his eyes. They burned with a desire to torture, to rule. He stared at the curse, both admiring him and scrutinizing him the whole time. _So this is my ally,_ he thought. The curse regarded him. Seth Wedlin.

Nile forced open his heavy eyes as he looked around. He felt weak. Helpless. Alone. The dark void around him, the pitch darkness, made him feel insecure. He didn't know what was coming. Each time he looked to his golden bey, Horuseus, for comfort, he felt intense pain course through him. He had been living in his curse's mind, being tortured. He knew that after a period of time, he would slowly fade and disappear into nothingness.

_Feels like my life's been passing by__  
__With happiness just bein' a lie__  
__How did I get here, where am I going?__  
__One more day without knowing__  
__Struggling for one more breath__  
__As I'm drowning in a painful death__  
__Can someone reach out for me?__  
__In this dark and dreary sea_

Suddenly, he felt something. A disturbance in the darkness. The thick shackles around his limbs loosened, and he ran towards the light. He was swallowed, but he felt free. He waited in eager anticipation...

He felt cold marble touching his bare skin. He stretched his bony, aching limbs, and looked around. He didn't know why. Maybe because of the fact that the curse's mind was tied to his, but he had a mental image of the building. Every corridor, every room. He knew what was inside. He didn't care at the moment. He was _free._ He stood up and was knocked back down harshly again. He felt the bandage around his stomach rub against his wound. Gritting his teeth, he tried to ignore the pain.

_'Cause it seems like no one can__  
__Hear the voice that's calling__  
__Try to take the most I can stand__  
__But I keep falling_

_Right. The injuries are still here._

He glanced up and gasped. The curse was there, right in front of him. He blinked his eyes.

_I brought some guests._

He had a bad feeling about this.

_I try to chase the memories away__  
__But they haunt me everyday__  
__I hope I get over this phase__  
__'Cause I'm stuck inside this haze__  
__All I need is a simple lift__  
__Such a sweet and precious gift__  
__So I don't lose it all before__  
__What I have left is nothing more_

The Egyptian boy stared in shock as the man, the one who ruined his life entered. His lips curled up into a smile. It had no expression of joy, but a hunger that was about to be satisfied. The boy screwed his eyes shut as he prepared himself. Now, he almost, _almost_ wanted to return back to the void. At least he wasn't there. "How nice," his father stated as he eyed his victim. He delivered a swift kick to the recent wound on his stomach, and Nile groaned in pain. His fingers secretly, slowly, inched their way towards his pocket. _If I can get help..._

He felt something sharp cut his hand, and he winced and jerked it away. Blood streamed from his palm. The pain was so familiar, so much, too much, it was almost numbing.

That was before the knives and Beys came.

_In my isolated misery__  
__I feel like the epitome__  
__Of darkness and despair__  
__Just leading into nowhere__  
__Will I be able to win this race?__  
__I'm runnin' at a slow pace__  
__Trying hard to press on__  
__But the motivation's gone_

He screamed as he felt the sharp object slice into his back. He raised his head, staring at his father pitifully.

A gold bey was launched at him, and the massive pillar of gold light, the one that had aided him, that had won him battles, had now turned against him.

He felt pain. But pain was natural to him. Wasn't it?

_Cause it seems like no one can__  
__Hear the voice that's calling__  
__Try to take the most I can stand__  
__But I keep falling__  
_

_Oh_

A girl entered.

_Storm?!_

"S-storm?" he croaked. The girl rushed up to him.

"Stop it, Father!"

"Storm, go away."

Storm was ushered away by another boy. He had dark purple hair and brown eyes. He felt something searing hot prick his skin.

"NO!"

_I try to chase the memories away__  
__But they haunt me everyday__  
__I hope I get over this phase__  
__'Cause I'm stuck inside this haze__  
__All I need is a simple lift__  
__Such a sweet and precious gift__  
__So I don't lose it all before__  
__What I have left is nothing more_

How long had it been?

Nile had endured, quietly, as he was tortured. He raised his head. Darkness coated his surroundings, and he could hardly see a thing.

Nile felt something. His clothes were being peeled off.

"Please stop! PLEASE!"

An hour later, he was on the ground, his clothes back on and his breathing heavy.

_It may not have to be this way__  
__Waiting for me, there could be a new day__  
__Maybe I can revise__  
__And escape from the lies_

_Am I... am I going blind? No Nile, don't think such things! _Amidst the darkness, he could make out one column. It was... green. He thought it was. Inside floated a lavender haired boy whose eyes were closed, as he fell, deeper, into a never-ending sleep.

_Dynamis?_

_I try to chase the memories away__  
__But they haunt me everyday__  
__I hope I get over this phase__  
__'Cause I'm stuck inside this haze__  
__All I need is a simple lift__  
__Such a sweet and precious gift__  
__So I don't lose it all before__  
__What I have left is nothing more_

He didn't know what to do. His stomach churned in fright as the darkness grew. He gave up.

He would forever be alone, in a world of darkness, where no one cared.

Where he wouldn't stand a chance.

No one would notice as he died inside, completely shattered from what had happened to him.

_There could be something more__  
__To what my life may have in store__  
__I'll move from where I began__  
__Keep on pressing through to the end_

The last thing he felt was a agonizing jolt of electricity before darkness consumed him.

* * *

**Thanks to everyone who reviewed, and I'll try to update soon!**


	9. Chapter 9

**Would ya look at that, I actually updated! Sorry if I'm taking really long, I have exams now and that is NOT fun. Exams will end in 13 days. This chapter is boring. So bear with it! Enjoy! This shows a little of Astri's past.**

* * *

Astri and the others sat on the soft leather on the plane seats.

"Astri, why are we going to France?" Yu asked the teenager. The girl turned around to face the kid.

"A close friend of mine told me of suspicious activity in France. Dynamis could be found there!" Astri exclaimed. A small, hopeful smile lit up her delicate features.

"Gingka!"

"Wake up!"

"Let me handle this. GINGKA HAGANE! WAKE UP NOW!" Astri took a deep breath before screaming right into the redhead's ear. Nearly everyone in the plane swiveled their heads around to glare at the girl. Gingka woke with a start.

"Oh, we're there?" he asked sleepily, getting to his feet. Chris rolled his eyes and dragged him out of the plane.

Gingka complained loudly. "I thought only Astri would do this...not you too, Chris..." the blond ignored him.

Astri put on a winning smile and strode up confidently to a taxi. Amazingly, a flawless stream of French escaped her mouth. She conversed with the driver for a few minutes before cheerily saying "Merci!" Then, in English, "Come on guys!"

Yu was surprised. "Astri, why can you speak French? And where are we going?"

Astri laughed. The others had not seen her so excited and happy before. France just seemed to fill her with joy. "We're going to my favourite hangout spot, Yu. Well, as to how I know French, here's the scoop..."

_"Daddy, is it true? We're going to France for a holiday? Me, Mummy, you and Dynamis?" The lavender haired girl jumped up and down, her sky blue eyes sparkling. The man smiled and ruffled her hair, before speaking to her gently._

_"Yes, Astri,we're going to France for a week. Dynamis isn't coming."_

_"But why?" the girl pouted and glared at her father._

_"Astri, be happy we're bringing you for a trip. Dynamis isn't coming. That's the way it is." her father declared firmly. Astri nodded slowly but reluctantly. "OK then..."_

_On the day of the trip, Astri hummed a merry tune to herself as she packed her brand-new French dictionary into her luggage. Her father was in an especially good mood, and her mother had left beforehand to see to something. She skipped out of the door, when a hand on her shoulder stopped her. A young boy with spiky lavender hair was smiling at her. His sapphire eyes twinkled as he smiled at his older sister. Of course. Dynamis was staying behind. He was missing all the fun as usual._

_"Why can't you go, Little bro..." she muttered. The boy comforted her. "Hey Astri, I'll be fine. Enjoy your trip!" Astri hugged her brother who hugged her back. However, she noticed the barrier around his eyes melting and a tiny bit of melancholy and loneliness showed in those deep blue orbs. He blinked quickly, and that smiling, bright face was back once again. He playfully nudged her out of the door. As she disappeared into the distance, she could hear the faint shout of a "Have fun!"_

_-In France-_

_Astri swung her legs as she waited for her parents to unpack. She had only packed a bag full of books and toys, as well as a velvet box containing a silver pendant with a gold star. Dynamis had given it to her for birthday last month and she had yet to put it on. She wore her favourite purple shirt and tied the delicate silver chain around her neck. She knew that Daddy would scold her if he saw her wearing it. She didn't know why. She tucked the chain and star beneath her shirt. The iciness of the metal resting against her skin was a little uncomfortable, but it was okay. She liked the chain. She wanted to wear it, and would, with or without her parent's permission._

_"Let's go, Astri!" her mother called. She jumped off the bed and skipped through the hotel door. Soon, they were at a mall. She didn't know the name. It was all in French. All she knew that her parent's called it "good." she held on to her mother's hand tightly as they visited the shops._

_France wasn't very fun. It could be, but she hated shopping with her parents. It was boring. She wanted to go sightseeing. She trudged along with the large crowd, when suddenly, she realised that her hand wasn't in her mother's any more. Gasping, she looked around with huge panicky eyes. They weren't anywhere. She probably wouldn't find them among the sea of faces. Terrified, she burst into tears, unsure of what to do._

_Just then, someone tapped her on the shoulder. A girl around her age with light, short orange hair and violet-grey eyes and a smile on her face looked at her. "What's wrong?" she asked in a thick French accent. "I...I can't find my parents!" Astri cried._

_"Poor you!" the girl sympathized. "Why don't you come into the cafe first?"_

_"The cafe?"_

_"Tulipe Bleu! Blue Tulip in English!"_

_Astri had gone into the cafe, Blue Tulip. She had called her parents. Everything seemed normal once again and a huge smile was upon her face._

_"What's your name?"_

_"Astri Hikari!"_

_"I'm Fiona!"_

* * *

_Fiona seemed sad that her best friend was leaving. Astri smiled before leaving. _

_"Hey Fiona, we'll always be best friends, right?"_

_"Yeah! Besties!"_

_As Astri was dragged to the gate, she could hear her friend shouting over the miscellaneous chatter._

_"BYE ASTRI!"_

_"BYE FIONA!"_

* * *

"That's how. After I returned, I picked up French and it seemed to just... fit. And here we are! Blue Tulip Cafe!" Astri grinned, jumping out of the taxi.

Just then, Gingka's phone rang. It was Tsubasa.

"What's up, Tsubasa?"

* * *

"SERIOUSLY? WHY IS EVERYONE GOING MISSING?!"

* * *

**I hope you enjoyed this chapter. And Tsubasa (finally) realises Nile is missing -.- And anyway, here's how Nile got a curse: (PURELY MY IMAGINATION)**

**Nile's ancestor had a curse. When he was eight, he, along with all the other eight-year-olds in the village went to the town square. The mayor (after muttering a chant) declared that Nile was the descendant. That's how.**


	10. Chapter 10

**Yay, another mental scene with Nile~ anyway enjoy!**

* * *

The Egyptian tilted his head up. Only darkness. Just the black in front of him. Nothing more, nothing less. He had the distinct feeling of shadows climbing up his leg, but he wasn't sure. He couldn't see it. There was no light to guide him. The curse whispered mockingly in his mind, but he wasn't sure. He wasn't sure of _anything_ right now.

No one to care, no one around him.

The cold feeling crept over him, as the whispers hissed. He couldn't see, but in his mind, he knew something. The only thing he clung on to, the small fragment of reality and sureness. That fragment, however, was torturing, agonizing even. The image of the curse couldn't be erased. Now and then, it would fade a little as it grew bored, but it still came back. Always. There would be the occasional hiss of something detrimental to his mental health, like _you're the loner, aren't you?_ or _your "friends" abandoned you. How nice._

Nile was dazed. He was half-asleep, just wanting to escape reality once again sometimes. He just wanted to feel no pain. But something, another voice, rang out softly but clearly in his head.

_Wake. You have to. Wake!_

He told himself it was probably nothing. He was probably going insane.

_Wake! Don't sleep!_

He gasped as images, blurred, bright, colourful, danced in front of his eyes. Voices, familiar, comforting voices.

_"Nile, what happened exactly? I know you told me...but you still haven't opened up fully."_

_"Don't pry." He snapped, his eyes holding iciness and anger. Yu backed up, fear evidedent._

_He felt so guilty. "I was just trying...to help..." Yu stuttered, staring at him._

_"I know. I'm sorry, but I'm not ready yet," Nile apologised. The young boy smiled. "It's OK! Take your time!"_

Besides Kyoya, Demure and Benkei, who he treated more of allies, Yu was more of a companion who just wanted to make friends with him. No intentions, nothing. He just wanted to have fun. But he couldn't be sure who to trust.

Closing up again seemed like an easier option. The easy way out. It seemed so much more inviting. He would feel no pain as he drifted away.

_You can't! What about your friends?_

_Just-just go away!_

Who were his friends now? Did he have any to begin with?

The urging voice faded abruptly as the evil curse replaced it.

_Suffocate. Drown in despair, and fade._

Darkness clamped on his mouth. He couldn't breathe, and he tried to draw up one last breath. Instead, he felt something. Something familiar, warm, but cold at the same time. A small gold light shone from it, he thought.

Horuseus.

A flash of dazzling gold lit up the void, and he screamed. Pain rushed through his body and he drowned and slept.

_Wake!_

_Not again._

_"Why are we here?" Nile complained._

_"To have fun. Now MOVE," Yu declared as he shoved an ice-cream into Nile's hand and dragged him towards the carnival games._

_In the end, Nile won Yu a giant stuffed Beyblade and Yu won him a weird falcon thing. Cool, though. They dunked each other in water, and took all the possible rides._

_It was the first time Nile had ever experienced true fun._

That bubbly feeling of happiness filled him once again, but was quickly pushed down by the quickly-growing darkness. The shadows seemed like they were alive, and wrapped themselves even more tightly around him. He choked and tried to spit out the taste.

_You do know that the fading process is soon? In a few hours? I'll enjoy being rid of you. It's a long, painful process for you...and I'll have my last few moments of fun right now._

Nile opened his eyes to see nothing and feel pain below his eyes. He felt something sticking into him. He wildly felt around. Where was he?!

_Wake, Nile! Wake!_

He didn't say anything as the intense jolts of electricity coursed through his body;there was no need, no need at all. He was broken and there was nothing he could do. Nothing he could do. He heard the footsteps of someone entering, and instantly, he knew who that "someone" was. Panic surged through him as he tried to escape, but he was pinned down. There was the familiar, curdling smell of fresh, metallic blood, from his shoulder this time. The sharp metal scraped against his skin, trying to hurt. It succeeded. The pain was too great, and he blacked out.

When he came to, he felt weak. The smell of blood was stronger, more nauseating. He felt multiple wounds all over his body.

He said something, but it came out as a raspy whisper.

"I'm going to fade anyway, why do this to me?"

He regained his sight for a moment, and he found himself staring into cold, unmoving eyes.

_Because I like it._

_"Nile, Nile..." Yu chanted as he danced around the Egyptian, annoying him a lot. Nile was trying to rest, as he leaned against the wall, his eyes closed. The kid's chanting made it impossible to focus on anything._

_He grumbled. Tsubasa had just given Yu some candy, and now he was hyper. Still, he had to admit it was cute watching him. It also made him wish that he had such a carefree childhood. He watched the gold-haired boy jump up and down._

_"NileNileNileNileNile~" sang Yu. The teen just silently staggered to his feet and walked away._

_"You're really not allowed to do this," Yu said, dragging him back to the bed, singing random songs while putting on irresistibly adorable faces. Forced to stay, Nile tried to enjoy the sight of the little boy dancing around the room._

_You see? You have friends!_

Surprisingly, Nile shut the voice up with one cold, emotionless sentence.

_Not any more._

The curse grimaced. Giving in so easily? That wasn't fun at all. He wanted to hear the cries of agony, those cries that was music to his ears. He decided to up it.

Nile couldn't hold back anymore. Boiling years streamed from his eyes as he was electrocuted again, this time using a battery that was five times as strong. He wanted a moment to rest, but that wasn't given to him. This time, he was plunged into somewhere. A tank, he thought, as he felt around. He couldn't see once again. He felt something rising, something wet. It was at his feet, no, his ankles now. He had a distinct feeling of what was going to happen. Water. That was water soaking his shoes.

**You're figuring it out, haha... What does "D" stand for?**

Nile was terrified, and his broken form shuddered violently in the tank. He muttered the first word that came to mind, his eyes staring emptily at the curse.

"D-drowning?"

**You're smarter than I thought, ****_Master._**

The water level was up to his waist now, as he struggled to stay afloat. The water was unusually thick, and he felt like his arms were made of lead.

The water was now at his chin, and steadily rising.

_I could just end this now, painlessly. I could, if I just..._

His head sank underwater as his eyes closed. He felt it was hard to breathe, but it was a lot better than the other torture. He would rather go like this.

**No...if he does that, it will be over too soon!**

The curse, hurriedly jammed a button, and the water receded. The boy spat out water. He was still alive, thankfully.

**You're bad. I'll quiz you again, then. What does "B" stand for?**

Nile's mouth was clamped shut. He didn't know, he didn't _want _to know. All he knew was that whatever the answer was, it would be painful. Really painful. But he would be alive. The curse wanted him to go through the fading process. He had heard about the terrible pain, and he was lost, scared, alone. No one stood with him.

**Fine then. Here's the answer: "B" stands for Burning.**

_Burning?!_

Flames danced brightly in the tank as it ate away ruthlessly at his scarred skin. All he felt was white-hot pain. Even the voices were gone. The pain was what he focused on. Just pain, pure, raw and agonizing.

A few minutes later, the flames were gone, leaving the boy in the tank. His skin was burnt, charred, a lot of his nerves were probably destroyed, but he was alive.

**The fading process would start right about now. See ya.**

The boy found himself back in the darkness, but there was something new.

Gold light surrounded him, and he felt his life force slowly but surely draining away. The gold light was bright at his feet, and started to rise, but it was slow. This would take a long time all right. Nile knew it. He knew he was dying and there was nothing he could do about it.

* * *

**Please bear with me for the next two chapters because I'm going to introduce two OCs. There is a battle so its not THAT boring, but still...anyway there's going to be action in the third chapter!**


	11. Chapter 11

**Hi~both my OCs are introduced in this chapter. Sorry if its a little boring.**

* * *

Astri's stormed into the cafe. _Everyone_ was going missing and she had an almost certain suspicion of who had done it. She was mad. She was tired. She was worried.

She grumbled under her breath as she scanned around. Yu looked like he was going to cry, while Chris was attempting to comfort him. Emphasizing on the word _attempting._ Yu sniffled as he took a bite out of the ice-cream cone that Chris had bought.

"Is Nile gonna be OK?"

"I'm sure," Chris absentmindedly replied. It was clear that he, too, was worried. Just then, a squeal distracted him. He looked up, annoyed, to see Astri running forward. She hugged a slender French teenager with long, pastel orange hair swept into an elegant braid. She had violet-grey eyes that held a twinkle in them. She wore a long-sleeved pink cardigan over an orange shirt and a denim skirt that touched the spot just above her knees. The image was completed with maroon ballet flats.

"Fiona!"

"Astri!"

The two girls looked delighted. Fiona smiled. "It's been such a long time!" She exclaimed.

"Yeah!" Astri replied. "And your hair grew so much!" She paused. "You said that you found some information?"

Fiona smiled gently. "Not me. One of my friends."

"Friends?"

"She should be here any minute now," Fiona stated. She pushed a steaming cup of hot chocolate in front of Astri, as well as a slice of cake. Astri grinned and tucked into the meal. Meanwhile, the boys exchanged looks. Were girls always like this?

By reply, a water balloon exploded in their faces. The boys sputtered and coughed, and their heads were completely drenched. A girl with light brown hair pulled back in a ponytail stood in front of them, her arms akimbo. Her large, doe-like brown eyes glared at them. She wore a white vest with indigo lining, black jeans and dark purple boots. She was the perfect image of a sweet, innocent girl- only that she was not. She strode up.

"Don't think that we girls don't know what you're thinking," she warned.

Fiona smiled. "Tsuki."

Tsuki combed her hair back and offered a smile. Now that they had the chance to observe her, she had a mischievous gleam in those big eyes. Astri smiled. She was going to like this girl. In Tsuki's hand was a spare water balloon, loaded with water. Smirking at them, she started.

"So Fiona told me to come here. Explain about this 'suspicious' thingy? Well, OK then."

"HURRY UP ALREADY!" Astri was anxious and sick with worry. _Dynamis..._

Gingka rolled his eyes. The boys whispered 'Girls..." , but unfortunately Gingka was a little too loud. With her supersonic hearing, Tsuki marched forward. The next thing he knew, Gingka was screaming in pain, rolling on the ground, as Tsuki expertly twisted his arm. Hard.

"Just so you know, I'm a black belt in karate _and _taekwondo. Oh, and I also know fencing, judo, wushu, kung fu... don't get on my bad side or _you'll get it." _Tsuki growled, emphasizing the last three words. Gingka howled in pain as Tsuki gave his wrist one last twist before letting go. Sulking, Gingka muttered, "The others did it too..."

"WHAT?!" Tsuki yelled as she turned around to face the others. Unfortunately, Chris, Yu and Tithi had already disappeared.

"Could you please continue, Tsuki?" Astri asked. Tsuki exploded her other water balloon in Gingka's face and kicked him before continuing with her information.

"So, I've determined that the building is not too far from here; we can take a taxi there. Um, I've seen strange uniformed dudes outside before. I approached them and they said they were from a top secret training academy for Beyblade. There's a word printed on their shirts though, at the corner, in tiny print. SKIA. I wonder what it stands for..."

"DAMMIT!"

Everyone jumped at Astri's sudden outburst. The girl was yelling vulgarities about the Skia Bladers at the top of her lungs. Luckily, there was no one else in the cafe except for a middle-aged French man who just stared at her with a perplexed look on his face.

"YOU STUPID-"

"Enough, Astri, swearing isn't going to help," Fiona said.

"WHERE IS IT?"

"We can take a taxi there. Relax."

"WHAT ARE WE WAITING FOR? LET'S GO NOW!"

"Um, we still have to find Chris, Yu and Tithi."

"Shit."

Gingka's phone beeped and he looked at it. Scratching his head, he laughed nervously. "Guys... they went out to town for a bit and they're coming back now... but Tithi and Yu somehow blackmailed Chris into buying them ice cream..."

Astri looked like she was going to curse again. Gingka wanted revenge on that Tsuki girl.

"Is there a bey park nearby?"

"Yes! Lemme guess, you want to take revenge on what I've done in a battle is that right?" Tsuki said. Gingka nodded confidently. The girl smirked.

"You'll regret it." She pulled out her bey. It looked extremely tough. It had a jagged blue fusion wheel with bits of indigo metal, as well as a unusual performance tip that was split into two. _Hmm, _Gingka thought, _I wonder what that performance tip is for..._

"This is my unbeatable bey, Euphonious Nightingale."

_Nightingale?_

The facebolt was a rich purple with a complicated design of a jet-black nightingale on it.

Fiona smiled.

"Why don't we battle? You haven't seen my bey and I haven't seen yours."

The purple-haired girl, at the mention of a battle, had calmed down a little. She wanted to go right now, but she couldn't. She pulled out Starlight from her pocket. "Starlight, let's win this thing quickly and go rescue Dynamis," she muttered, and the bey glowed in response.

"Well, you haven't seen Tempest Falconis yet!" Fiona held up a bey. It was white with a thick orange rubber fusion wheel and silver spikes on its fusion wheel. It's fusion wheel was unusually shaped. It was sloping downwards. It also had a round performance tip. Its facebolt was orange-gold with a design of a gold falcon drawn in swirly black.

"Interesting," was the only word Astri managed to get out before she was dragged to the nearest Bey park.

* * *

**Tsuki is cute (according to me).**

**Gingka: Hmph.**

**Me: *silently picks up chainsaw***

**Tsuki: Hi.**

**Me: Hey Tsuki, wanna help me kill Gingka?**

**Tsuki: Sure. *Picks up chainsaw***

**Gingka: AAAHHHHH!**


	12. Chapter 12

**Yup, this chapter has _two _battles. Warning. A very, very, VERY, I repeat, VERY OP bey is introduced here. If you hate OP beys, then don't read it. If you don't...well enjoy the chapter then.**

* * *

"Let it rip!"

Cosmic Pegasus and Euphonious Nightingale clashed hard in the middle of the stadium. The latter escaped unscathed while Pegasus was blown back. Gingka was confused. _The attack type Pegasus had just lost in terms of power? But how?_ Just then, he noticed that Nightingale spun a different way then most...

"Reverse Rotation?!"

Tsuki smirked. "Took you long enough to find out."

Euphonious Nightingale's jagged fusion wheel made it deal maximum attack, and the rubber patches were at vital, weak spots to absorb attacks. Gingka had never seen a more powerful bey. He frowned. Without Madoka, he was lost. He didn't know anything about this bey. The purple and black Nightingale struck Pegasus before racing away.

_That's it!_

"Go now, Pegasus!" The blue bey headed for the unguarded metal at the front of Nightingale. Even the strongest bey had to have its weak spots- and this was Nightingale's. When Pegasus made contact, it was able to fight back for a little while. Gingka smiled. Even with reverse rotation, Pegasus could match the bey. He could tell that it was a Balance type, but other than that, he didn't know what the other features were for. Suddenly, Pegasus slid off and landed back in the stadium.

Gingka gasped. "But how?" The layered fusion wheel had changed now.

"Mode changes?" Tsuki offered dryly. There was a layer of incredibly smooth metal protecting the weak spot now. When a bey hit it, the reduced friction would cause it to slide off.

_Euphonious Nightingale? What is this bey?_

"Try attacking from under!" he shouted, and Pegasus dived under Nightingale's fusion wheel. Incredibly, it seemed to work... until Pegasus was blasted back. It wasn't touching the bey at all, but it just seemed to hit an invincible wall and bounce back. Gingka sighed in relief as Pegasus landed at the edge of the stadium. It was wobbling slightly, but was still spinning.

"What was that?" Gingka demanded. "Euphonious Nightingale's performance tip is split into two, don't you get that? They spin in different directions. While the bottom part spins left, the top part spins right. This distorts the air and creates an impenetrable vacuum shield. This makes its defense rock-hard!" Tsuki explained.

Pegasus tried to attack from above and it actually seemed to work. A Cosmic Tornado from such a height would deal a lot of damage to a normal bey. But Euphonious Nightingale wasn't normal. It still spun calmly, without a hint of weakening. Gingka looked like he wanted to pull out his hair. He had attacked from above, below, sideways... everything! Nothing worked. That was a highly customized bey. Not only did it have a jagged fusion wheel that could change modes and rubber to absorb attacks, it was also reverse rotation _and had a_ performance tip that could generate a vacuum shield. Could this crazy bey even be defeated?

"No."

"What?"

Chris was standing there, hands on his hips, watching the battle with a practiced eye. He, obviously, knew more than Gingka about bey mechanics.

"Chris! When did you get here?"

Yu and Tithi were watching the battle but not offering any advice. They seemed to like the scene of Gingka being creamed.

The blond ignored him. "Euphonious Nightingale, like Flash Orion, has ball bearings in its performance tip. This makes it able to spin forever as well. So, no, as far as I see, you can't defeat it."

"Wait... how did you know what I was thinking?"

"You said it out loud."

"Focus on this battle!" Tsuki yelled, annoyed. "Fine then, I'll just finish it RIGHT NOW!"

Euphonious Nightingale started glowing indigo. Astri and Fiona, who were waiting their turn, looked both shocked and amazed. Astri smiled a little.

_No doubt about it... that Tsuki is an Ourano Blader._

Nightingale's bey spirit emerged. A beautiful, sleek, jet black Nightingale spread its magnificent wings and took to the skies.

"Special Move, Lyrical Haunt!"

The air seemed funny. It was being twisted around in different directions, and the nightingale spirit sang in a chilling, haunting voice. When Pegasus got dizzy and started spinning around out of control, it flew into the air. Then, an ebony beam shot out of Nightingale and spiralled slowly around Pegasus, engulfing it. When the beam disappeared, Pegasus was in the stadium, not spinning.

"Are you kidding me? I was just beaten?"

* * *

-10 minutes into Astri's and Fiona's battle-

"Let's end this now! Celestial Starlight, Blinding Star!" Bright gold light quickly spread across the stadium and Starlight glowed its deadly star-shaped energy. Somehow, the powerful golden ray was unable to defeat Falconis. It wobbled, but it was still spinning.

"Falconis, go now!" The sloping fusion wheel was an excellent choice for attack, as it was more efficient do deal out attacks to the spin track.

"I would like to remind you that mine and Tsuki's beys were made by the same mechanic! While she has a split performance tip for a shield, the defense type Falconis has a split energy ring to maintain balance!" Fiona commented.

The orange bey dealt a barrage attack to Starlight, causing it to wobble.

"Hmph. Not bad, Fiona! But Starlight's performance tip..." she reminded. The gold bey rotated and dashed to the right, effortlessly avoiding a series of attacks that Falconis dealt. Then, it started pushing back. Fiona scowled. She had underestimated Starlight's power.

"Absorb it!"

"Absorb?!"

The rubber fusion wheel soaked in each attack that Starlight launched. "In that case," Astri said, "Try the spin track!" It actually worked. Falconis's spin track wasn't as highly customized, so it did have a weak spot for Starlight to hit.

Both beys were wobbling now.

"Astri!" Tithi and Gingka cheered.

"Fiona!" Yu and Tsuki, who actually _knew _their stuff, voted for Fiona.

"It's clear already who's gonna win," Chris sighed.

"Let's finish this," Fiona calmly stated.

"Back at you," Astri shot back.

"Special Move, Blinding Star!"

"Special Move, Regal Blade!"

As the ray of bright gold light charged towards Falconis, the orange bey's spirit emerged. A gold-brown falcon with gold-tipped feathers. It wore fitting, regal-looking armour. It raised one razor-sharp talon to strike out. The bey glowed orange and a hidden, gold-tipped spike suddenly extended from the bey. The collision caused a small explosion. When the smoke cleared, the bey left spinning was Falconis. Starlight had landed at Astri's side.

"Not bad," Astri sighed. _My mind wasn't really on that battle, but I have the feeling she's an Ourano Blader too..._

* * *

"So we're Ourano Bladers? Sounds cool."

"Now, we have a stronger team to go rescue Dynamis!"

* * *

**Looks like Gingka was crushed.**

**There will be some action in the third chapter. Hopefully I have enough time in between exams to type the chapters.**


	13. Chapter 13

**Yay... action! Finally! Hopefully this is a bit more exciting. Enjoy!**

* * *

"They're coming soon, Master."

"OK. I expect our plan is ready?"

"Of course."

"Then we wouldn't have any trouble dealing with them."

"I agree fully, Master."

* * *

"So we're going now?" Fiona said.

"I'm waiting for some people who are obviously late," Astri sighed, kicking a pebble. She was bored, frustrated annd anxious. She just wanted to go now.

Then, two people approached.

The first was a teenager with dark green hair and an annoyed expression on his face. He wore a short green shirt under a black jacket, baggy grey pants and brown boots. He had cross-shaped scars on his face. Gingka was shocked.

"Kyoya?!"

The second was a young girl with gold-blonde hair in pigtails, maroon eyes, and wearing a pink jacket. She hummed to herself as she skipped towards the group, waving to Yu and Tithi. The children, momentarily forgetting about Nile and Dynamis, ran forward to hug their friend. Kyoya was grumbling under his breath and muttering about how annoying _all_ kids were. Apparently he had gone with the girl. "Hey Kyoya, any more candy?" The girl grinned.

"NO!"

"Riley!" Chris smiled and hugged his younger sister. "What are you doing here?"

Riley shrugged. "Astri asked us to come!"

"Hmph... she said that if I came, I could battle Gingka," Kyoya growled.

Gingka looked insulted. He glared at Astri. "You're treating me like a pawn? Really, Astri? I never thought you would stoop so low-" he shut up sensibly when he saw an angry Tsuki pointing at a water balloon in her hand. He would never admit that he was especially scared of that girl. She was strong, violent, and somehow loved to prank him. He didn't want to get hit by more water. He had a lot more left to say, so he only shot another glare at Astri before sulking.

"NOW let's go," Astri sprinted to the taxi which she had dialled for earlier. Everyone filed in.

* * *

"We're here!" Astri yelled.

Yu, Tithi and Riley ran out, looking at the foreboding building. It was silver, with immaculately polished glass windows. At least twenty stories tall.

The group was about to march right in but unfortunately, that was the exact wrong thing to do.

* * *

"Go now."

"Yes, Master."

* * *

The group was almost there when suddenly, three beys flew towards them at light speed from supposedly nowhere.

One of them was a black, silver and gold bey. A werewolf design was embedded on the silver facebolt. It had silver blades as well as hidden spikes on its fusion wheel. The performance tip had a protective layer of well-placed spikes.

The second one was a crimson red bey with a jet black fusion wheel. The fusion wheel had "claws" that extended upwards. It had a tall spin track as well as a unusual performance tip. It moved towards them quickly and aggressively.

The third, however, was what shocked them the most.

It was a stunning gold with a uniquely warped, winged black fusion wheel. Its energy ring was wide with small, barely noticeable blades. The performance tip was smooth, hard plastic, and its movements were incredibly silken smooth, like it was moving over glass.

Horuseus.

"That's not Vulcan Horuseus," Gingka stated. He knew that much.

"It's... S-shining Horuseus. His bey evolved," Astri said in amazement. _Don't tell me... he's one too..._

"But if Horuseus is here..." Kyoya said.

Three people emerged from the shadows and revealed themselves. The teen on the left had black hair with a portion of it dyed metallic gold. He had pale skin and his eyes were an eerie light forest green rimmed with gold. He was short, skinny but athletic. He wore a black leather jacket over a blue shirt which had "SKIA" printed on it. He looked at them coldly, as if imagining, _they're nothing but mere obstacles. _The one on the right had dark indigo hair and light brown eyes that contained a thirst for blood, pain and fear. He wore brown gloves and sneakers. He wore his simple Skia uniform shirt and denim jeans. He almost, _almost _looked like a regular boy at first... until you saw the eyes.

The third boy looked at them in disdain. _So these are my old Master's "friends?" Interesting, I get to crush them._

He had ebony hair with a portion of it a dull, dark orange. He had tanned skin and crimson eyes, as well as dark orange tattoos under his eyes. His jacket was black like the one on the left, but he didn't wear the uniform. Instead, he had on an olive shirt and a dark red belt. He wore brown pants and boots, and there were white wraps around his arms.

"N-Nile? What are you doing here?" Gingka asked. The Egyptian looked at him and smirked.

"I am not Nile. I will rule. All of you will be crushed," he stated, emotionless.

"Nile? Why is he here?" Kyoya was a little surprised. "Anyway, I'm battling him now!"

"Wait, Ky-"

"LEONE!"

The green bey raced directly towards Horuseus, but the bey dodged easily. It tried, but each time, it missed.

"Horuseus's smooth plastic tip receives energy from the spin track. It can spin smoothly and easily," Nile murmured quietly.

"Just shut up, Nile. Special Move, King Lion Crushing Fang!" The tornado crashed into Horuseus, but nothing happened.

"You didn't learn anything from what I told you just now. Horuseus!"

The bey started attacking Leone, who was trapped. It couldn't do anything.

Horuseus finally moved back. Kyoya took this chance to act quickly.

"Lion Gale Force Wall!" The tornado barrier erupted around Leone.

"Horuseus. Mystical Evocation," Nile stated calmly. A gold wall, similar to Mystic Zone, formed around Horuseus. This time, Horus appeared and shot a blast of gold energy towards Leone. The ground erupted in a massive explosion of gold light and smoke. Kyoya's eyes widened as he saw the tornado dissipate and finally disappear altogether.

There was a final explosion and Kyoya was thrown back a few feet. When the smoke cleared, Leone lay completely crushed on the floor, while Horuseus circled around it before flying back to Nile's hand. "B-but how, Nile? How did you get so strong?" he gasped, while getting up.

"You're pathetic."

"Nile! How could you say that?" Yu had tears in his eyes, and he yelled at the boy, who took no notice of the gold-haired kid screaming at him.

"You aren't yourself! Fine then, I'll make you come to your senses! LIBRA!" the green bey flew at him. Nile launched Horuseus once again.

"Brat. Anyone who tries will be completely and utterly _crushed." _Nile snarled.

"I have to. I have to do this." Yu muttered to himself.

* * *

**Riley was there 'cause she's and Ourano blader. Kyoya was there...well just because. I wanted him to battle Nile :D Exams are ending soon so I should have more time to write. *celebrates* OK, please review!**


	14. Chapter 14

**Hi... sorry I haven't updated for really long. Exams are over though, so I'll have loads of time to write! This is the epic battle between Nile and Yu! *Dramatic music starts playing in background*...or maybe not. Also, there is Tsuki vs Seth and Fiona vs Kage, although their battles aren't really being mentioned! Enjoy!**

* * *

"Libra!" Yu exclaimed. Libra started to attack Horuseus. Nile smirked.

"No use."

Horuseus moved away from Libra and started to attack it.

"Didn't you say that you would battle me first? How could you go back on your word?!" Yu screamed through sobs. He was horrified. He knew Nile as someone who was laid-back and antisocial although he was on their side, and not as the monster in front of him.

"Horuseus," Nile stated calmly. The gold bey started glowing purple. Yu felt a pain in his chest and sank to his knees. His vision was blurred and he could hardly focus on Libra, who was spinning right in front of him.

* * *

"Yu!" Tsuki said. "Are you OK?!" she launched Nightingale into the chaos but her bey was sent flying by another bey, the crimson one. The indigo haired boy smirked at them. His bey darted quickly around Nightingale, and Tsuki was finding it hard to read its movements. Then, the bey flew straight at Nightingale, sending it back. "B-but how? How was Nightingale beaten in a battle of strength?" she asked. "I guess you don't know me. I, Seth Wedlin and one of the Ourano Bladers have been entrusted with the duty of crushing you. Sanguis Coyote!" the beyspirit, a blood-red coyote appeared and swiped at Nightingale with a claw. Tsuki growled. An _evil _Ourano blader.

* * *

"Hell's Curse. A dark move that not only attacks the bey, but brings pain to the blader as well."

Yu looked up. The searing pain had faded to a dull, aching throb. His vision was clearer and so was his mind. Libra started spinning faster and Yu screamed.

"LIBRA! SPIN, SPIN AS FAST AS YOU CAN!"

Nile weakly raised his head. In the eternal darkness, he heard sounds. Familiar sounds. Faint noises of beys clashing against one another. He didn't care. He closed his eyes, pretending that nothing ever happened. The bright gold light had reached his chest now. The further it rose, the brighter and more beautiful it got. It also hurt. His head was aching, his whole body was aching. The light would sometimes seep in, coursing through his body and sometimes, a broken, hoarse scream would unknowingly escape his throat.

_"Battle me first...go back...word..."_

His head snapped up and started hurting again. He thought he had heard a small, tiny, soft voice of a child whispering in his mind. He was probably delirious.

"Nile, I don't know you anymore. You're not Nile. You're a monster."

Yu felt like a kid. Tears openly streamed down his face but he didn't care. All he wanted was for Nile to be back. Libra glowed lime green and started to generate energy. Yu smiled. Not even Nile would be able to break through his special move. "Final Infernal Vortex!" A massive column of bright green shot up from the bey and Horuseus was flung back a few feet. _Good, _Yu thought, _If I'm lucky, I should be able to finish it._

Too bad he wasn't lucky.

Horuseus wobbled slightly but was still spinning. Yu was shocked. How did Horuseus manage to withstand the attack?!

_"Don't know you...monster..."_

The voice was back, and it was louder. Nile was pretty sure he knew who it was. But he wouldn't let the protective barrier go away. Lies, all lies, he told himself. If no one could reach him and he shut himself out, it would hurt less. Truth, lies, good, evil... they all meant the same thing. Only one thing was clear. He didn't want anything right now.

"This is what a special move is really like. Demonic Inferno," Nile said. A black twister rose from the bey and consumed the entire battlefield. Now Libra was the one wobbling. It couldn't hold out for much longer. The tornado grew bigger and Yu was blown off his feet.

Nightingale hit Coyote hard and sent it flying. As soon as the bey touched the ground, it was hit by a flurry of furious attacks. Tsuki knew that Sanguis Coyote was a tough bey. It gave her a challenge. So she couldn't afford to slip up or lose her focus. She had to keep on attacking, and not let up. After the barrage attack, Nightingale changed modes and now, it was pure attack. The ultra-sharp blades were raw, exposed. They had a bumpy, rough surface to increase the surface area.

"Ah!"

She turned her head and lost her focus for a fatal few seconds. Yu was screaming as he tumbled to the ground. He crawled back up, checking for any injuries. She wanted so badly to see if her friend was OK. Then, she saw Fiona battling that other guy with the werewolf bey. She inwardly groaned. How many battles were going to take place at the same time? When her mind snapped back to the battle, she regretted not concentrating.

"Focus!"

Yu had one plan left. He knew Nile was too strong right now, and he had no chance of returning him to normal if he tried to beat him in a bey battle. His plan was stupid. It was childish. It had been thought up a few seconds ago. But it was the only plan left. It was to talk.

"Do you remember that time? When we went for a karaoke party Tsubasa forced us to attend?" Libra drew back and stopped attacking. Nile- or Evil Nile- or whoever had possessed him looked shocked. He opened his mouth to speak.

"What?"

* * *

_"Remember that time...karaoke party...forced us to attend..."_

Yu's voice, clearer and louder, reached Nile's head. The teen groaned in pain as bright colours and lights flashed continuously in front of him. He had to relieve a memory, one with _friends. _His so-called _friends_ that now, he thought of as liars and enemies.

* * *

_"And as the years go by  
Boys, our friendship will never die  
You're gonna see  
It's our destiny  
You've got a friend in me  
You've got a friend in me  
You've got a friend in meeeeeee!" Yu finished._

_Nile clapped politely but he felt bored. Tsubasa, Yu, Gingka and Masamune were singing random happy songs that he hated. Right now, he was sprawled on the couch trying not to listen. Just then, Gingka dragged him on stage._

_"Sing something!"_

_"NO!"_

"Aww, please?" Yu was using those adorable puppy eyes. Nile sighed. It was only one song anyway and singing meant a break from hearing those sickly happy songs.

_"I've tried so hard to tell myself that you're gone__  
__But though you're still with me__  
__I've been alone all along_

_Me, me,me..."_

_Nile was actually quite a good singer. He felt happier now._

* * *

Evil Nile held his head and groaned as he had the same flashback. Yu smiled. Was it working?

Then, he snarled at Yu. "Don't try anything funny. It won't work."

Yu sighed. Looked like it didn't. But he would try, just one more time. He took a deep breath and started.

"Nile, I know you can hear me. I don't know where you are, or what happened to you. I just know something is wrong. So Nile, what's wrong? This isn't you and I know it. Tell me, I'm right here for you. Nile, tell me."

Nile felt pain.

Intense pain.

He hated memory, he hated friends; he hated life itself.

_"Nile, I know you can hear me. I don't know where you are, or what happened to you. I just know something is wrong. So Nile, what's wrong? This isn't you and I know it. Tell me, I'm right here for you. Nile, tell me."_

The voice was crystal clear now. It hurt, but it brought something that he hadn't felt in a long time. It wasn't very strong. It was warmth.

That just contributed to his wrecked state. Who was his friend? Who? He just didn't want to know.

But wasn't closing up an easier option?

Yu saw that nothing affected Nile. So he continued.

"Are you in pain, Nile? Why aren't you answering? Why aren't you responding to this? I have so many questions to ask you. You're not alone, Nile; you have friends. You have me, Nile. You consider me as a friend, don't you Nile?"

The Egyptian heard more disconcerting voices.

_"Are you in pain, Nile? Why aren't you answering? Why aren't you responding to this? I have so many questions to ask you. You're not alone, Nile; you have friends. You have me, Nile. You consider me as a friend, don't you Nile?"_

Then, he made a decision.

He would help Yu. It would stop the voices, and Yu was a child. The first friend Nile had. Even though friends didn't mean anything to him anymore, he would still help Yu. Then, he would shut everything out again and fall into the eternal darkness, trapped, with no one to help him...

"No! Libra!" Yu shouted as the inferno grew bigger and sucked his bey in. Libra started to wobble and crack a little. _Not good, Libra! _Yu didn't want this to happen to his beloved bey. He had received it when he was a baby, and it was the only bey he would- and ever- work with.

Just as he was trying to think of a plan, the massive inferno wavered a little and Libra dropped back out.

_Huh?!_

The tornado seemed to be weakening on its own. But that wasn't possible. Finally, the black twister surrounding Horuseus melted and the bey was knocked to the side by some unknown force. Yu was confused. Who was attacking Horuseus?

His question was soon answered.

He saw a vague image of a teen standing a few feet away from him. A teen with orange and brown hair, emerald eyes and orange tattoos. Yu froze. Nile? But how? Nile had several wounds on his body and his posture was horribly twisted and unnatural, like something, a light, a spark of life, had dissipated inside him. Meanwhile, Evil Nile glared at his other self in both shock and contempt. He had managed to get out of his mind, and that was bad news. Hopefully, in his weakened state, he wouldn't be able to do much.

"Nile?!" Yu exclaimed. The boy weakly said, "Horuseus, attack now..." A pale, faint bey whizzed towards Horuseus and the two identical beys clashed, with Nile's being pushed back. Nile's shoulders were glowing golden and his body seemed to be growing fainter and fainter. Yu could hardly see him...

"Yu, we don't have much time for this...let's finish this quickly..." Nile told the gold-haired boy standing near to him. The light was up to his neck now. His emerald eyes stared straight at Yu, though Yu had the feeling he didn't mean to.

"Nile, but...you-"

"We have to, Yu...don't worry, I'm fine..." Nile said softly. His breathing was shallow and laboured and he shook with every attempt to breathe or move. The light had reached his cheek now and he could hardly be seen. Yu swore that he felt Nile's cold hands placed on his shoulder.

"What-" _I get it! The higher the light goes, the more it hurts Nile!_

"Yu, please..." Nile murmured pleadingly. "We have no time..." The light was at his hair.

_We have to hurry!_

"Libra, tip the scales, Ebony Obliberation!" Yu yelled at his bey.

"M-mystical Evocation..." Nile got out. The light had almost reached the top and it was really, really bright. Almost blinding.

Two pillars, one black and one gold erupted. They flew straight at Horuseus. Evil Nile yelled in anguish as he had been defeated. He felt himself disappearing.

_Oh well, at least I'll never die..._

"Shoot!" Tsuki said. She had lost. Bending down to pick up Nightingale, she thought about her defeat. She had gotten her revenge by throwing some water balloons at Seth. Fiona had won. Seth's Coyote had a clawed energy ring that could cut through her vacuum shield.

"You know, you might have won if you hadn't lost your concentration!" Seth called.

Tsuki growled. Being beaten was okay, but she hated being taunted. _And, _she had run out of water balloons.

Yu stared in shock as he saw a very beat up Nile in front of him. Normal. He looked really weak and pale.

"Yu, I-"

That was all Nile managed to get out before he slumped on the ground, unconscious.

* * *

**Poor Nile! I feel so bad. And this chapter is really long so hopefully you survived it. As always, critiques are welcome and please review!**


	15. Chapter 15

**I'm back! Yet another OC is introduced here. Enjoy!**

* * *

"Show them how strong you are, Kaiian."

"Of course, Master."

* * *

Yu ran to support Nile. The boy was barely breathing. Yu scrunched his nose at the nauseous stench of metallic blood snaking its way out of the wounds. He saw that Nile's skin was also badly burnt. Not knowing what to do, he turned to Tsuki.

"What do we do?!"

"Hang on, I'm calling the hospital."

_Nile, what happened..._

* * *

During the battles, Gingka, Chris, Riley and Astri had ran off towards the building. Amidst the chaos, they were able to slip away unnoticed. Fearing that they might be noticed if they used the more common lift, they took the stairs.

LEVEL 10

"How...many...more?" Gingka panted. Chris grunted in response. Riley was really tired, so he was carrying his younger sister on his back.

"I don't...know...the building seemed about...thirty stories...Riley, STOP IT!" Riley had lost her balance and banged against her brother's back. causing him to cry out in pain. She sheepishly clambered back in place.

As they trudged along, Astri was flinging open every single door that looked suspicious. So far, there was no trace of Dynamis. Then, she came to a room labelled "101. Only Authorised Personnel allowed to enter" Astri grimaced. "Well that's suspicious," she commented, raising a leg to kick the door down. Before she could do that, she was interrupted by the sound of footsteps echoing in the otherwise silent corridor and a dark voice. She whipped her head around.

"Who's there?"

"An Ourano Blader, perhaps?"

A stocky boy wearing a tatty sleeveless brown jacket over a lime green shirt, dark jeans and lime sneakers emered. He had light apple green hair that stood up in stiff spikes. His eyes were light amber, giving him an eerie and weird look. He launched his bey, a lightweight silver and pale green bey. Its fusion wheel had two layers. The inner layer was thin but strong. It guarded the fusion wheel while the outer layer had extensions that looked like snake heads. The spin track looked pretty weak but it was somewhat guarded by the energy ring, which was shaped a little like flames that curved downwards. The performance tip was flat.

"Now go, Destruction Chimera!" The beast, a fearsome silvery chimera appeared and roared. It headed towards Riley and Chris, who had no choice but to launch their beys. Forest Roe and Flash Orion met the attack. As they seemed to be winning, the two beys were suddenly flung back.

"Ah! Roe!"

"Be careful, Riley! The fusion wheel can switch around very fast. When it hits a bey, the snake heads are brought forward to attack again! It deals double damage!" Chris realised. Roe moved forward to take the hits. Even double-damage attacks hardly did anything to Roe's thick fusion wheel.

"Special move. Whirlwind Savage!"

A violent whirlwind was generated and headed for Roe's weak spot- its performance tip. Forest Roe was done for. Riley whimpered as she closed her eyes and braced herself. However, the impact didn't came. She opened her eyes to see Flash Orion being blown back.

"Chris!"

Riley ran back to help her brother, who was on the floor. He stumbled to his feet and said, "How about we end this now?"

"Roe, Cloud Fissure!" Riley called out her new special move. The ground shook violently as the deer spirit jumped up into the air before stomping on the ground. Chimera began to wobble as well.

"Orion, Flash Ignition!" Orion glowed brightly and three spheres of red light surrounded it. The spheres then raced towards Chimera, erupting into blasts of red energy. The shaking increased. Finally, The blast hit the bey, causing it to be sent flying.

"Argh! That wasn't fair!" Kaiian cried before running off.

Astri proceeded to kick down the door before running in. Riley saw Chris hobble up with a pained expression.

"Are you all right?" she asked, concerned.

"Nah, I'm fine. My ankle just hurts," he replied before stepping on it lightly and howling in pain. "OW!"

"We need to get you to a doctor later,"

Astri gasped at the room's bleak white walls. It was huge. A woman with navy hair hummed to herself as she monitored...something. It just looked like a pillar filled with transluscent turquoise liquid. Interrupted, she turned around, revealing her sharp cyan eyes. Astri was shocked and stared at her in disbelief.

"Mum?!"

The woman sighed. "And I thought coloured lenses and dyed hair would be enough to disguise me. Anyway, Astri, why are you with _these _guys? Don't tell me you want to oppose me?"

"Y-you're a..Skia Blader?"

"Not a blader, the head. Join us."

Astri was horrified. Her mum was evil?

"NO! Besides, I'm looking for Dynamis..." she strode forward a few steps. Now, she could make out a figure floating in the liquid. It was a young teen with spiky lavender hair. He wore a white robe. His eyes were closed and he looked like he was sleeping, in a peaceful dream, but Astri knew otherwise. She could tell by the way his eyes were tightly shut and his eyebrows furrowed. Dynamis was clearly being tormented.

"D-dynamis? Mum, what are you doing to him?!" Astri tripped over some words. She looked up to her mother. She was beautiful, kind, righteous...not this evil woman who was torturing her brother. Her own _son. _But why? Astri couldn't figure it out. She couldn't figure out why her parents hated Dynamis so much.

"The key... stronger than all the other Ourano bladers combined, I believe."

Astri couldn't believe her ears. _The key? Dynamis is the key? _She could barely hear her mother continuing."

"All I wanted was perfection. You were perfect, Astri. We loved you. Then, then _he _came. As the temple guardian, he _had _to inherit Hades Curse. He was special, powerful, but we didn't want that. We wanted perfection. Because of Hades Curse, he was flawed. We don't _do _flawed."

_Per-perfect...but Dynamis...it wasn't his fault...he inherited both Zeus's power and Hades's Curse..._

"Dynamis!" She launched Starlight. It bounced off the wall and onto a control panel. It hit a button and instantly, the liquid receded. The boy crumpled to the bottom of the tube. He slowly stood back up and opened his eyes. Those eyes, once a beautiful, bright sapphire was now a dull, lifeless blue.

_Astri?_

"Astri?" he whispered.

"Dynamis! I'm going to get you out, don't worry!" Astri exclaimed. She didn't see her mother pressing another button.

_System Rebooting. This may take a few seconds._

_I may be broken, but...I can prevent others from meeting the same fate..._

"No, Astri, it's too late, it's too dangerous. Don't do it..." Dynamis said.

"What? What are you talking about?"

Dynamis shied away as the liquid level started to rise. "N-no! Ow!" he cried softly. Then, he fell silent. What was the use?

He got out one last sentence.

"Don't, Astri." The liquid completely filled the pillar and the Jupiter Blader's eyes closed.

Something blazed inside Astri. A fire. How could her mother do this?

"STARLIGHT!"

The bey glowed searing hot and leapt into the air. It spiralled higher and higher up until it could hardly be seen. Astri didn't care.

"HIGHER, STARLIGHT, HIGHER! SPECIAL MOVE, DIVING STARBURST!"

The bey was really high up now. It absorbed the power of the stars in the universe and for the first time, its beyspirit emerged. A beautiful young woman cloaked in shimmering gold robes that glowed like stars. She held a harp made of starlight in her hands. As her slender fingers swept across the strings, the stars' power were fully absorbed. The bey shot back down, glowing brighter and brighter. The harp dissolved and turned into a star, which the woman threw downwards. The stars surrounded Celestial Starlight before exploding.

Then, the whole room was filled with blinding gold light as Starlight unleashed its true power.

* * *

**Astri has a new special move now:)**

**So everyone finally figured out that Dynamis is the key. **

**Dynamis: ...**

**Me: Don't be mad. Anyway please review!**


	16. Chapter 16

**NyxAbsol back with another chapter. I hope it isn't boring. Anyway Enjoy!**

* * *

As the light faded, Astri was able to see once again. Gingka, Riley and Chris had been thrown back a few feet and were on the ground. Corisande, except for the layer of dust on her suit was relatively unscathed. That was surprising. Dynamis was still imprisoned in the tube, which hadn't budged an inch.

"You know, Astri didn't mention that she _wasn't _an Ourano Blader..." Gingka muttered, with Chris nodding in agreement.

"Did you think I didn't know you were coming? My suit is made of a shockproof material. The glass tube also contains that chemical, making it shockproof as well. Why don't you just give up and join us, Astri?""

"Are you crazy? Why would I join someone, even my mother, who has hurt my brother?!"

She remembered that time when Dynamis had admitted how he felt.

* * *

_Astri was bored. She wandered around the temple, looking for something to do. Then, she noticed her younger brother. He was clothed in his robes as usual, and he sat hunched on the balcony, his arms crossed, his tuft of spiky lavender hair wafting in the gentle breeze. His eyes were serious, as if they were searching for something. Astri decided to go over. She tapped Dynamis's shoulder, making him jump and turn around. His eyes became cheerful once more._

_"W-what's up, Astri?" he asked, stuttering a little._

_"I saw you at the balcony. What's wrong?" Astri replied, concerned. Dynamis turned away a little._

_"Well...nothing, but..." the young boy trailed off. returning to gazing at the stars. Astri probed again. "What?"_

_He was silent for a few moments. Finally, he sighed, blurting out, "Sometimes I wonder why I have the curse..."_

_Astri was shocked. Dynamis was only eight. He had known about the curse by accident, when he spied on his parents. Astri didn't think that it would affect him too much, but she was wrong. Dynamis was already showing subtle signs of giving in._

_"Oh...Dynamis..."_

_"I h-hear voices sometimes...its scary, Astri..." he sobbed. Astri hugged her brother._

_"It haunts me, Astri...I'm scared..." Astri allowed her brother to burrow into her._

_"You're strong, Dynamis," she said, trying to comfort him. But it didn't work._

_"I wish I was you. Y-you don't know what it feels like to have whispers in your mind. You don't know the pain."_

_"Its going to be fine, Dynamis..." Astri soothed. She felt him slowly stop shaking as he cried himself to sleep. However, his mouth moved slightly as he said something. He was drowsy, but the curse called for him._

_"B-but why? Why me?"_

_"Because you were too strong... so you have to have the curse to balance it. I know its not fair..."_

_Eternal torment._

_Astri would never forget the heartbroken tone in her brother's quivering voice._

_"I'm scared, Astri... scared of being lost in this darkness..."_

* * *

Astri was guilty. Dynamis hadn't gotten to enjoy his childhood like other children. It wasn't fair, not at all.

Suddenly, she felt a pair of burly arms wrap around her. She saw a uniformed guy dragging her out. Looking around, she saw her friends being ushered out as well. She kicked and clawed uselessly at the man's vice-like grip. "LET ME GO!" she screamed as she was dumped outside.

She saw that Tithi, Yu, Kyoya, Fiona and Tsuki had gone off.

"I'M FINE, RILEY!" Chris screamed as Riley dragged him to the nearest hospital. She cocked her head. "What happened?"

"He injured his ankle during the fight with the Ourano Blader and refuses to admit that he's injured."

Gingka and Astri helped to bundle a protesting Chris onto a taxi.

* * *

"Broken? What do you mean its broken?! And why can't I battle?!" Chris demanded. The doctor sighed, rolling his eyes. "I told you already, your ankle is broken, you need a cast and crutches, so you can't battle!" he slammed his hand on the table, emphasizing his point. Having lost the argument, Chris sat back in his chair, sulking as the doctor put a cast on his foot and directed him towards another room to get crutches.

As Chris limped slowly out of the room, he caught sight of Tithi and Kyoya. "Hey, what are they doing here?" he asked as he moved towards them.

"Tithi? Why are you here with Yo-yo? And where's the others?" Riley asked as she hugged her friend. "Yu is in the ward, and Fiona and Tsuki are at the counter checking with the doctor," he replied.

"What? What happened to Yu?" Astri asked, half concerned about him, half still wondering about Dynamis.

"No, not Yu. The other one!"

"Huh?" They were seriously confused now.

"I think he called him Nile."

Nile? Even Astri snapped back to attention. What had happened to him? And wasn't he evil?

"Why is Nile in the hospital?"

"A lot of complicated stuff happened that I don't really know how to explain but he's severely injured," Tithi said as he plopped back down on the seat. Gingka immediately headed towards the room when Tithi gave him the number. When he found it, he gently pushed the door opened and entered.

Nile was on the hospital bed, horribly still. There were bandages wrapped around his arms and legs, and he could tell that his back and stomach were wrapped as well. His eyes were covered with gauze. Yu was seated next to the bed, not saying anything.

"Yu? What exactly happened?"

"Gingky?" Yu's voice was slurred from tiredness. "I don't know, but basically Nile had two selves or something. He helped me defeat Evil Nile. I have no idea how he got these injuries..." he trailed off. Just then, Kyoya entered as well. Everyone looked at him.

"Don't ask me either. I came here for my battle with Gingka."

"Heartless..." Yu whispered as he continued to watch Nile.

"Kyoya..." Gingka declined. "I don't think this is the right thing to do now..."

* * *

Nile's POV:

I felt myself awakening from the terrifying darkness. I have control over my body again, yet it feels like something is missing. I wonder...is it trust?

No. I've been hurt to much. Trusting isn't something I can do anymore.

Besides, I was still enveloped in darkness. I can feel gauze against my eyes. Startled, panicked, I tried to rip it off.

I can hear voices shouting, trying to calm me down, but they seem so far away...

* * *

"Nile!" Yu cried as he pulled the bandage around his eyes off. His bright emerald eyes were dull. Gingka held him down as Nile struggled to get up. His eyes stared vacantly into space, wide and frightened. "I-I can't see-get off me-"

_Nile can't see?_

"Its infection to his eyes. Causes temporary blindness. It'll go away soon, though." Kyoya said.

"Did you hear that, Nile? It's OK! Calm down!" Yu cried. He wasn't prepared for his response.

"No! Stop your lies! I won't believe anything you say!"

* * *

**Hope you enjoyed! I think yet another OC will be introduced in the next chapter. And Astri is an Ourano Blader :) Please review! Critiques welcome!**


	17. Chapter 17

**OK, this took forever to write. And its pretty long. 2 OCs will be introduced. Hope you enjoy!**

* * *

Gingka stepped out of the hospital ward along with Astri.

"What on earth happened to Nile? Astri asked."

"Don't ask me. I have no idea," Gingka replied. According to the doctor, Nile had a broken arm, a broken leg, severe injuries to his body, mainly his stomach and back, malnutrition, and his nerves were mostly destroyed. If they were lucky, the doctor would be able to reset them, but it wasn't very certain. And in his current state, Nile was in no shape to receive treatment. Yu was still inside, Kyoya had left some time ago to get lunch, Riley was there to accompany Yu, and Chris was taking care of the two young children.

Gingka and Astri had gone out to buy lunch for everybody. They could see Fiona and Tsuki heading towards the ward.

"So how long is Nile staying in the hospital?" Astri asked.

"It depends on how long he takes to recover. I would say he won't be discharged for some time, given that he's pretty...traumatized," Tsuki said. Gingka nodded, wondering what had actually happened to Nile. When the Horuseus blader was evil, he seemed perfectly fine. Now, he was just a wreck.

"May I help you?"

Gingka and Astri turned around, startled. They saw a young girl, around 10, standing in front of them. She had thick, dark ruby-red hair tied up in a messy ponytail, loose strands falling beside her face. Her enormous eyes were crimson. A golden clip in the shape of two wings was nestled in her hair, keeping her fringe away and she wore an baggy, almost over sized uniform. She was currently staring at them, her arms crossed. She was so adorable, Gingka and Astri's shock quickly melted.

"No... and who are you?" Astri asked.

The little girl ignored the question. "If not, you're blocking the corridor."

The duo then realised that they were standing in the middle of the pathway and blushed red with embarrassment. "Sorry!" they moved away quickly. "So who are you?" Gingka pressed. Then again, it wasn't every day that they had random people asking them random questions. _Help you?!_

The girl's face broke into a friendly smile. "My name's Rhea! I'm a volunteer at this hospital."

"That's nice," Gingka said as he started to walk away. Then, Rhea caught Gingka's hand.

"Wait, are you Gingka Hagane?" the Pegasus blader nodded. "Wow!" Astri yawned. "So? Tsuki and I annihilated him."

"Its true..." Gingka muttered.

"AMAZING! Can I battle you? Both of you?" she asked.

Gingka was confused. "Wait, you're a blader?" Astri looked at the girl. She was smaller and younger than Yu, Riley or even Tithi. How could she have gotten a bey the first place? Rhea giggled. "When I'm free, I love to beyblade!"

"OK then, it wouldn't do any harm..." Astri trailed off. She was still thinking about Dynamis. _I don't really care._

"Yay! I'm almost done, so meet me outside the hospital in about..." she glanced down at her watch. "2 hours, 'K?" Gingka nodded. She smiled and ran off- presumably to attend to some patients. Gingka stared at her. "Okay..."

* * *

-2 hours later-

Gingka and the others were waiting outside, just like Rhea had told them to. However, she was nowhere to be seen. Astri was getting fed up, too. She was hungry and not in the mood to battle. Gingka was hungry too, but unlike Astri, he was actually excited about battling. Astri brushed it off as childishness and that comment made Gingka angry. The two were now in a _very _heated argument and the others were trying to break up the fight- unsuccessfully. Yu was all set to use Libra, but Chris felt that it was too extreme and was restraining him. Tithi, Riley, Kyoya, Fiona and Tsuki were the only ones not arguing. They looked at the fights- and inevitable scuffles- unfolding.

"I am NOT childish! I am passionate about blading!"

"Well, only kids chatter nonstop before they fight some small punk!"

"I WANT TO USE LIBRA! ITS THE BEST WAY!"

"This is a hospital! Do you want to disturb the patients?"

"Um, guys..."

"I don't think you should..."

"Am I interrupting?"

Everyone suddenly stopped arguing and turned their heads to Rhea, who was staring at them with a confused expression on her face. She had changed out of her hospital uniform and now wore a dark long-sleeved red shirt with a pale blue scarf. She also wore a navy skirt with light blue ribbons and suede boots. Beside her was another young girl, with short, dark green hair that reached above her shoulders. She had light blue eyes that sparkled and wore a baggy dark green jacket over a navy shirt, jeans and purple sneakers.

"Who's the... friend?" Chris asked.

"This is my best friend, Adira!" Rhea chirped. She then whipped out her bey. It was extremely pretty, mainly ice blue with a ruby red warped fusion wheel and performance tip and a broad sapphire-coloured energy ring. Adira smiled and took out hers. A white bey with a scythe-like dark green fusion wheel, a thin performance tip and a thick green energy ring.

"Lets battle!" They both chanted in unison, readying their launchers.

Gingka smiled. "I guess I'll battle Rhea first," Astri shrugged. Tithi looked at Adira. _I haven't battled for SO long! I need to battle NOW or I'll go crazy! _Unable to resist the temptation any longer, he blurted out, "Can I battle Adira?" the green haired girl looked at Tithi. "You're Tithi? A legendary blader?" When the magenta boy nodded, Adira grinned. "Cool! Of course I'll battle you!" Tithi cheered. "Yay!"

"I've battled a lot. I think I need a rest," Yu said. Riley wanted to practice by herself. Chris was grumbling as they went to the beypark. He couldn't battle because of his stupid broken ankle. _I'll get my revenge on Kaiian someday! _he thought, cheering up. Fiona and Tsuki didn't really mind, and Kyoya, well he just wanted to battle Gingka.

* * *

-At the beypark-

As there was only 1 stadium, it was decided that Adira and Tithi would battle first. The two children ran to their respective sides of the stadium.

"3!"

"2- Oh I can't wait anymore, Let it rip!" Adira shouted as she launched her bey.

"Wait!" Tithi exclaimed as he hurriedly launched Quetzalcoatl, which was set in attack mode.

"Attack now Quetzalcoatl!" Tithi cried as his yellow beyblade smashed hard into Adira's bey.

"Neige Leopard!" Adira cried in alarm as her bey was sent flying. Astri shook her head. _She's not an Ourano blader..._

Leopard struggled to regain its balance and moved away as Quetzalcoatl charged again. Adira smiled. "Show them your speed, Leopard!" the green bey started zipping around the stadium at incredible speeds. All Tithi could see was a blurred green streak barreling around the stadium.

"That isn't even Leopard's full speed!" Adira declared proudly. Gingka was amazed. "How is it able to move so fast?" Chris was lazily watching a few feet away. As he kept a close eye on the bey, he turned to Yu. "What was the performance tip?"

"I think its a..." Yu concentrated hard and stared at Leopard. "A sharp thin one." Chris nodded and applied his physic skills which were a little rusty. Fortunately, he was good in science. _The thin and sharp performance tip may reduce balance, but also reduces surface area! There's less friction to oppose it! _he shouted to Tithi. "Tithi! It's because of the performance tip!" Tithi nodded. If Leopard's weakness was balance, then he would attack the tip. "Go Quetzalcoatl!" he yelled at his bey.

The amber bey smashed into Leopard but was pushed back. He was shocked. "Wha..."

"Did you forget Leopard's scythe-like fusion wheel? Its set lower than usual! Your bey is taking damage and you didn't even know it!" Adira called.

Leopard continued to hit his bey with a strong barrage attack. Its movements were so smooth, graceful and fluid, just like a graceful, athletic snow leopard. Just as Tithi had managed to read Leopard's rhythm, Adira suddenly said, "Tempo Switch!" The white and green bey immediately switched to an entirely different rhythm, attacking aggresively and smacking Quetzalcoatl into the air before striking with an uppercut attack.

Tithi was stuck. _What do I do?!_

He studied Leopard closely. Just between the energy ring and the fusion wheel, there was a weak spot that was unguarded. The spin track was quite ordinary. Apparently the spin track wasn't designed for balance and endurance. Tithi smiled confidently. He had got this.

"Quetzalcoatl, now!" he commanded. Quetzalcoatl jumped and hit Leopard's weak spot. The green and white bey almost flew out of the arena, but it managed to stay in. However, it was wobbling. Adira scowled. Tithi had figured out her weakness. _I guess its this move then..._

"Special move! Neige Leopard, Snowing Hurricane!"

Tithi countered back with his own special move. "Quetzalcoatl, Ishtar Impact!"

The two beasts emerged from the beys- a amber-coloured winged serpent and a graceful snow leopard. Neige Leopard circled around the stadium at almost light speed, and a hurricane made out of rapidly swirling snow engulfed the arena. Meanwhile, Quetzalcoatl battled the powerful wall of snow.

"DON'T GIVE UP QUETZALCOATL!"

"LEOPARD!"

The huge hurricane expanded in size and strength and chilly gales swept across the entire beypark, making the entire group shiver. Meanwhile, both Tithi and Quetzalcoatl glowed amber. The snake deity roared as it gave one last burst of power. Smoke erupted from the battlefield just as the cold suddenly started to fade.

When the smoke cleared, the hurricane was gone and Neige Leopard was at Adira's feet. Quetzalcoatl circled around the stadium, barely spinning.

Tithi smiled. "YES!" when he saw a depressed Adira, he comforted her. "That was a great battle, Adira! You're really strong and fun!" the little girl, having been praised by one of the Legendary Bladers smiled. "Thanks Tithi! Will we battle again?"

"Yeah! Me, you, Yu and Riley!"

"OK!"

Tithi ran back to the benches and high-fived you. Rhea jumped up and pointed at Gingka. "It's my turn now!"

The redhead walked to one end of the stadium. "You ready, Rhea?"

The small girl was pumped. "I am SET!"

* * *

**I have been waiting forever to introduce those two! Er, I'm not very sure what to write for the next chapter. It can be either Gingka vs Rhea...**

**Rhea: OH YEAH!**

**Me:... or a torture chapter. *smirks evilly***

**Dynamis: Me or Nile?**

**Me: Wait didn't I save Nile already? And I haven't properly done a torture chapter for you in a long time.**

**Dynamis: Me then... *silent***

**Me: Critiques welcome and please review!**


	18. Chapter 18

**OK, this chapter is going to be Rhea vs Gingka. Sorry anyone who wanted a Dynamis torture chapter.**

**Rhea: WOOHOO!**

**Dynamis: *is sighing in relief***

**Me: But the next chapter is going to have an even more awesome chapter about torturing Dynamis!**

**Dynamis: *was just shaken out of his relief* Wha-what? Huh? What just happened?**

**Me: Enjoy!**

* * *

"3!"

"2!"

"1!"

"Let it rip!"

Pegasus raced around in a wide loop, trying to read the bey's movements. Surprisingly, it was something like Pegasus. However, there was something different-something that none of them could figure out. Rhea smiled widely. "My bey Ruby Equia is the best!" she cheered, as the bey closed in on Pegasus. Gingka frowned.

"Hit it hard, Pegasus!" Gingka called. The darker blue bey slammed into Equia, causing it to be pushed back. "Ah!" Rhea said, as Equia hit the edge of the stadium. It moved away from the edge and Gingka was shocked to see that the ice-blue bey was almost completely unaffected. Now, it's rhythm had completely changed. As Pegasus tried to hit it again, Equia dodged at the last moment and landed a successful sneak attack.

"Me and Adira always place emphasis on rhythm! Having an unpredictable battle style is a huge advantage!" Rhea explained. Equia's bey spirit emerged- a young, small ruby Pegasus with beautiful feathered wings. Gingka was shocked. "A Pegasus?!"

"Change your rhythm again, Equia!" Rhea ordered as Equia circled around the stadium, not attacking. Pegasus remained in the middle, waiting for the perfect chance to attack. "My bey's strength is stamina, so I might just wait this battle out!" she said.

Gingka scowled. As soon as Pegasus touched Equia, it was sent back. Astri observed quietly in a corner, thinking. _Its warped fusion wheel can both boost attack power and send back attacks when it changes modes. Gingka might not know it, but Pegasus is in a tough spot. That Rhea girl... she's interesting. I can't wait to battle her._

Equia's bey spirit emerged a second time. This time, it was a sapphire-coloured unicorn that galloped around the arena. _Not just a Pegasus, but a unicorn, too? How crazy can this bey get? _Gingka wondered. "Cosmic Tornado!" he shouted, as Pegasus circled around at high speeds, smashing into Equia and making it wobble slightly. However, Pegasus started to wobble as well. Gingka was confused. Pegasus was still OK before the attack, so what had happened.

_What is that bey?!_

Gingka was concentrating hard. Equia got its name from "Equus", which meant horse. So, it was able to take the forms of all types of horses, including not only Pegasi and unicorns, but also... _No, it couldn't be... another bey spirit..._

Then, Riley realised it. "Gingka! The energy ring sticks out beneath the fusion wheel and is able to deal damage to! So Pegasus has been taking more damage than you thought!" she stated. Gingka nodded. "Thanks, Riley!"

"Pay attention!" Rhea yelled, annoyed. "Equia, special move! Galaxy Heart!"

Now, an emerald-coloured alicorn emerged from the bey. _How many freaking bey spirits does Ruby Equia have? _Everyone thought. The alicorn- or Equia- raised its horn which glowed with a purple light, absorbing the power of the galaxy. Then, it unleashed that very power.

"Pegasus! Counter it with Cosmic Tornado!" That was the only thing Gingka could think of to counter it. The spinning tornado met a bolt of violent black energy (A/N: Just imagine its the colour of the galaxy) in the shape of a heart. Then, Rhea said something that shocked everyone.

"Gingka, if Pegasus has wings and Alicorn has both magic and wings, what does that tell you about their strength? Special move, Sapphire Storm!"

"Um... with added magic... Alicorn is..." Gingka didn't even get to finish his sentence before Rhea called out another special move.

_Another special move?_

Alicorn flapped its wings furiously, conjuring up a violent storm. Sapphire-coloured lightning struck the heart-shaped energy, strengthening it. At the same time, Pegasus was buffeted by the strong winds. The black heart smashed into Pegasus, making it rear up and whinny in pain, falling back.

Gingka finally finished his sentence. "I just can't believe it... but Equia- or Alicorn- is stronger..."

Suddenly, the Pegasus bey spirit faded as it was sucked back into the bey, which was stationary and unmoving in the stadium. Tsuki and Astri both deadpanned.

"The Number 1 blader in the world was just beaten," they chorused. Gingka hung his head and turned to Rhea. "Well Rhea, you're an amazing blader," he said. Rhea smiled. "Now who do I get to battle next?" she asked excitedly.

In response, Astri got up from her seat and held Celestial Starlight-which wasn't Celestial Starlight any more. Its silver fusion wheel had now split. The upper part was now gold, and it still retained its wings, but the silver lower part was fixed to the spin track instead, having an unusual design. Its performance tip was still the same, but was now made of plastic instead of rubber.

She looked at it. "Wha..."

"I think Starlight evolved. Well, Astri just realised she's an Ourano blader," Chris reasoned. Astri held up her bey and admired it as it glinted in the gentle golden sunlight. "Evolved, huh? Well, Starlight, I guess you never fail to surprise me. You're now..." she struggled with words. She had no idea what to name her new bey. She didn't want anything fancy. She just wanted a simple, fitting name that suited Starlight. Just then, a beautiful comet shot across the sky. It painted a gorgeous, bright streak in the evening sky. Astri smiled. Celestial Starlight was gone, but she had a new, reborn Starlight. And she knew what to name it.

"...Comet Starlight. Yeah! Comet Starlight... it seems to fit perfectly!" Astri said as she hugged her bey to her chest.

_I'm stronger now. Does that mean I can rescue Dynamis? _she thought. She was distracted for a moment.

Well, until Rhea brought her back to reality.

"Astri? Astri? What's an Ourano blader? Huh? HUH?!" Rhea demanded, jumping up and down. Astri smiled, bending down and gently ruffling the girl's hair. "I'll tell you after I battle, OK?" she replied. Rhea nodded. "You promise?"

"I promise, Rhea. I mean, have you ever seen me lie?"

"I guess not. But I've only known you for about half an hour." Astri blushed red in embarrassment. She had just been outsmarted by a little girl.

"Are you OK, Astri? You've been zoning out a lot lately..." Chris said. The Starlight blader sighed and waved it off.

"Yes, I'm fine. Can we start?" she answered, rather tersely. She didn't know why she was so angry. She hadn't meant it to come out like that. After all, Chris was just showing concern from her.

"Let's battle, then! I'm dying to go again!" Rhea shouted happily, attaching Ruby Equia to her launcher and getting ready. Astri headed to the other side of the stadium and smirked. _Rhea, let's just hope that you'll be able to cheer me up! _she readied her launcher and bey. "I won't go easy on you!" Rhea took this as an insult and glared at Astri. "You don't need to! Shut up and launch already!"

_She has a lot of spunk. I think I might like her._

"3!"

"2!"

"1!"

"LET IT RIP!"

_How ironic. I just said I don't lie and here I am, lying to everyone that I'm fine..._

* * *

The navy-haired woman- or Corisande- frowned as she looked closely at the list of options. She had planned for a longer rest time for the "key", but her darling daughter just had to ruin their plans. Now they were running short on time and needed to hurry. Fast. She glanced over at the teen still asleep in the tube, facing the dark nightmares. She muttered something. "You've had those nightmares all your life. This is just a very amplified version of it."

Then, she turned to the aide beside her.

"Seth, help me check the status on the 'key'," she ordered. The indigo haired boy nodded, pulling out a sleek tablet and tapping some buttons. He frowned.

"He's just well enough for the next round, but barely. I think we should..." Corisande was deep in thought before answering.

"No, Seth. We're running out of time. I think we should take a risk and proceed. Prepare to wake him up now," she said crisply and sharply. The teen nodded and punched in some orders on the tablet.

"Yes Master."

_So, my son... I'm not sorry I have to do this to you. We need to risk it. We just have to._

The woman stared at the teen.

"Hmm... you probably don't know your worth, don't you..."

She stood up to leave and start preparations. Just as she closed the door, she had yet another thought. She sneaked a final glance towards the tube.

_I have to say this, Dynamis... as long as I achieve my goals... to take the power of the Ourano bladers, especially yours, and turn it into power to rule... I can't help it. Humans are naturally greedy by nature. So, as long as I achieve my goals..._

_...I don't care what it takes. And I don't care what I have to do to you._

* * *

**I have to say it. I really, really love to write these torture chapters.**

**Dynamis: WHY?!**

**Me: Its fun.**

**Dynamis: *sniffles* Its not...**

**Me: Critiques welcome and please review!**

**Side note: I secretly believe that Rhea and Ruby Equia are the mascots of Pokemon Ruby, Sapphire and Emerald! I mean...**

**Ruby Equia**

**Sapphire Storm  
**

**Emerald**** Alicorn**


	19. Chapter 19

**This is the torture chapter about Dynamis. Yay!**

**Dynamis: NOOOO!**

**Me: He won't be physically hurt, don't worry.**

**Dynamis: *Frowns* then how is it a torture chapter?**

**Me: I didn't say you wouldn't be mentally hurt!**

**Dynamis: ...**

**Me: Um, there's a song in this chapter. "Desperate" by David Archeluta. I like his songs. Anyway I don't own MFB! Please enjoy!**

* * *

Dynamis opened his eyes. He awoke, but differently. Instead of a painful electric shock, he felt something flowing into him. He didn't know how to describe it. It was like a chemical coursing through his veins, waking him up in a more natural manner. But using chemicals was hardly natural. And that was an example about how horrible his life was now. He felt something being clamped over his head. A metal shackle-like device, covering his eyes as well.

_Desperate..._

He felt like something had been injected into his brain. Like a chip. A nanochip. He looked around his now-familiar world of only turquoise.

He had a bad feeling. He would probably be tortured- again. That was what happened when he was woken up from his only relief from reality, sleep. But that was failing him too. The nightmares were too scary. Awake or asleep, Dynamis felt no difference. Peering through the thick film, he could see an indigo-haired boy looking up at him. He didn't say anything. Instead, Dynamis narrowed his eyes at him. The teen simply smirked.

"Be grateful that we're waking you up this way. Another electric shock would risk harming your body too much beyond repair, and that would ruin our plans completely. This method is more expensive, but worth it." Then, the boy briskly walked out of the room. The navy-haired woman entered, nodding her head in thanks at the indigo-haired boy. Dynamis glared at her.

"Mum."

_Desperate..._

"So you remember," Corisande said simply. She had a tablet in her hands and was scrolling through some list. Finally, she arrived at an option she was looking for. _This is already stage three, the second most crucial part, _she thought, _we can't afford to let things go wrong. _She hid her nervousness behind a mask of indifference and continued. "You wonder what the nanochip and the headgear is for?" When she didn't get a reply, she smiled. _Stages one and two worked perfectly then._

"You'll find out. Let's start small, shall we?" she finished. She tapped a button and Dynamis felt an old, very old memory at the back of his mind slowly pushing its way up. It was a simple memory, one of him and Astri playing at the temple. The memory was like an old movie, playing in black and white.

* * *

_"Dynamis! Come back here!" Astri chased after her laughing younger brother, who shook his head in response and ran off in the other direction. Giggling, Astri dashed after him. When she finally caught him, she tickled him, making him laugh uncontrollably._

_The young boy tried to squirm out of his sister's grasp, but unfortunately, Astri was too strong._

_"So what do you wanna do?" Dynamis asked when he was finally released. Astri shrugged. "What do you want to do?" Dynamis thought for a while before stealing Astri's necklace and running off again._

_"Hey!" Astri got up to claim her belongings. "Gotcha!" She dragged her younger brother towards her, snatching the necklace from him._

_"I'm sleepy, Astri..." he mumbled as he half-closed his eyes. The girl gently smiled before carrying him to his room. It was big, but empty. Dynamis had hardly any belongings, just a few books about astronomy and a bed. She sighed. Her parents were so biased sometimes. She gave Dynamis a sisterly kiss. "Goodnight, Dynamis."_

_"G'night Astri." Then, when she heard soft breathing and no voice, she smiled, ruffled her brother's hair and exited the room._

* * *

Dynamis unconsciously felt the corners of his mouth being tugged up. However, a portion of his mind didn't focus of the happiness that he felt from that one memory. This wasn't torture. Something bad was bound to follow. He didn't know what it was, and he didn't want to find out. His hands instantly clamped protectively around his ears and he closed his eyes, trying to shut out everything around him, so that everything was just black.

_You're reachin' out,__  
__And no one hears your cry.__  
__You're freakin' out again__  
__'Cause all your fears remind you.__  
__Another dream has come undone.__  
__You feel so small and lost__  
__Like you're the only one.__  
__You wanna scream,__  
__'Cause you're desperate._

Black was good. Black held nothing. Black couldn't do anything more to him.

Just when he thought it would work, he felt white dots dancing around him. They grew in size and number, and joined together to make blurry images that flashed in front of him. Another memory... and this one wasn't good now.

Black...to white... black and white... it made up the confusing world of images around him.

_You want somebody, just anybody__  
__To lay their hands on your soul tonight.__  
__You want a reason to keep believin'__  
__That some day you're gonna see the light..._

* * *

_He was running, running again, just like from his other memory. But this felt different. He felt a sheen of icy cold sweat breaking out on his forehead. His mind was blank, filled only wtith fear and urgency to get away, get away from the girl behind him. Faster, he thought, faster. The world seemed like a blur, because of the speed he was running at and the fact that he wasn't focusing. The girl behind him looked similar to him. The same lavender hair and sapphire eyes. But a look of dogged determination and hatred in her eyes separated her from him._

_He could hardly move his aching limbs. He had lost track of time. Only one word was etched in his mind, the only fuel that propelled him to continually slip out of her grasp. The one word that kept him from getting hurt._

_The word was ESCAPE._

_Finally, he collapsed on the ground in exhaustion, feeling strong arms wrap around him. He tried not to focus on the pain as his arm was twisted hard. A look of accusation went through her eyes as she continued to twist, her grip getting stronger and tighter, until his hand was almost numb._

_He gasped at the rush of sensation as his arm was released. It was incredibly sore, and probably sprained. But she wasn't done. She clamped her hands around his neck, cutting off his oxygen supply, as he struggled to breathe. He felt his vision getting hazier and hazier. He felt screams, desperate cries for help rip through the air, begging for someone to help. But no one came. No one wanted him. No one needed him. He was just a mistake to everyone, a mistake that should be forgotten and erased._

_He barely noticed the pain stopping. He took a gasp for air. An icy feeling of being alone and unwanted washed over him. It was all that stupid curse's fault. Stupid curse... he felt his sister's harsh voice rain insults on him._

_"You worthless excuse for a human. Pathetic. You call yourself my brother? Forget it. Now I would like to see you die at the hands of the gods themselves. Honestly, I have no idea why Zeus and Hades saw you as special. If 'special', they mean completely idiotic and useless," she spat before walking off._

_Tears streamed down his cheeks as he closed his eyes, the aching preventing him from moving. He gave in to the darkness. The nightmares started again, and he felt the familiar dread and shadows that haunted him. He mentally cursed Hades for giving him this. He didn't want Zeus's power or whatever if it meant being treated like this. He wanted to be normal. He wanted to be loved by his family just like his sister. He barely noticed the screams as darkness enveloped him._

* * *

Dynamis was unconsciously screaming. "Its not true! The memory is fake!" he whimpered. In response, he felt electricity running through his brain. The electricity hurt his brain, jumbling the black-and-white memories up, making the nightmare seem more real, deadly. He continued to protest. "STOP IT!"

But no one acknowledged him. Only the electricity seemed to grow stronger, making his mind even more confused. The stench of fear seemed almost real, and he could almost feel the pain. Meanwhile, the warmth of the earlier memory began to fade to nothingness, seeming like a dream. Meanwhile, all Dynamis felt was the electricity trying to take over his mind.

"IT'S NOT REAL!"

He muttered something low and almost incomprehensible but luckily, Corisande was able to hear it.

"W-what's real..." he mumbled. His mind was in a messed up state from the electric shocks. He couldn't tell real from fake memories. A tiny part of him still fought desperately, trying to tell him that the exhaustion and pain wasn't real, but he wasn't listening. The horrible memory kept on playing in his mind, until he had lost all hopes of it being fake. "Real...this is real? No! Not real, it's fake, all fake... real...it feels real..." he began arguing with himself, almost delirious from all the pain. Corisande carefully increased the frequency and voltage of the shocks a little, ignoring the screams and pleads coming from the tube. _Very good. Its all working nicely, although the "key" is a fighter. It took this long just for this one memory._

_You're in the dark;__  
__There's no one left to call.__  
__And sleep's you're only friend,__  
__But even sleep can't hide you__  
__From all those tears and all the pain__  
__And all the days you wasted pushin' them away.__  
__It's your life; it's time you face it._

Finally, Dynamis's head dropped. "I-It's real..." Corisande smiled. _Now on to the next one._

Dynamis gasped as yet another memory rushed to the surface. It was a painful one, one that didn't need altering a lot. It was even older than the first one, so more electricity was needed. Corisande decided to just give him the part where she altered it. Dynamis hated that memory. He didn't want to recall it.

* * *

_Dynamis knew something was wrong. Something bad was going on behind those huge closed doors that seemed to forbid him from entering. It sent a message: Enter at your own risk, but you won't like what you see. The boy had a feeling whatever was going on had something to do with him. He would probably get lectured by his father after the doors opened. A lecture about how worthless he was and how his parents didn't deserve to have a mistake like him._

_He knew he shouldn't have gone in. But it was so tempting, and he wanted to find out what exactly the problem was with him. His young mind was so simple and innocent. He thought that if he knew what was wrong, he could fix it and everything would be okay. Then they would be a happy family, and he would get the love he had been yearning for all his life. Fixing it would be simple. He would be good, listen to his parents... whatever he needed to do! He just wanted to feel loved._

_What he thought couldn't have been further from the truth._

_He silently pushed open the door, peeping inside. He saw his parents sitting on the bed, having on conversation with each other. His father's face was contorted with disgust as he spoke. Dynamis swore that he could hear "Dynamis" being mentioned. Tears flowed down his cheeks. Did his parents really hate him that much? He tried to get rid of that dark thought and focused again on trying to hear what his parents were saying._

_"That stupid Dynamis. I wish we never had him. Especially now, as the day's going to come in a few years, and it will claim him..." his father said, sighing and shaking his head. His mother nodded and started to speak. _

_"It's because Zeus's power was too strong, and the heavens said that Hades Curse was to balance it. That is the fate for temple guardians of every century." she replied, muttering something else under her breath. Dynamis decided that he would never want to find out what his mother thought. Then, his father looked troubled as he continued. "But then we-our reputation will be ruined! We have everything right now! You have a good job as a famous astronomer, and you work for me. How could we have cursed children?"_

_"I know, honey. I, too wish that a girl was born instead, so that she wouldn't need to inherit the curse. The good thing is, once he becomes old enough, we can leave the temple and be rid of him," Dynamis's mother said in a comforting tone. His father smiled slightly at the thought. Dynamis was shocked. He didn't know that the mistake was something he couldn't fix. He was cursed. No wonder his parents and sister hated him. More tears streamed from his eyes._

_Suddenly, his father's head snapped up and saw his son at the door. His blue orbs filled with fury, disgust and hatred. Dynamis froze in both shock and fear. He stared wide-eyed at his parents, hoping that he wouldn't be beaten or hurt._

_"Now you know why you're worthless?" his father snarled, hitting him with a belt. Dynamis didn't say anything, but instead curled up in the ball, accepting the rhythmic jolts of pain that repeatedly coursed its way through his small body._

* * *

"NO! PLEASE, PLEASE STOP THIS!" Hysterical screams came from the tube, but Corisande simply smirked. Dynamis wanted to believe it was fake, desperately, but he couldn't. In his heart, he knew that this altered vision was actually quite close to the real one. Just the feelings of shock, depression, and pain were amplified, and it was like a force, dragging him down into an eternal abyss. "IT'S REAL! PLEASE! STOP IT!" he screamed, close to pulling out his hair. Corisande smirked.

_OK... that went pretty fast...now for the next one!_

Dynamis winced. His vision went black again, but this wasn't the black that he used to escape from the horrors of reality. This black seemed more menacing...evil, even. Dynamis had no idea how a colour could seem evil, but it was that way.

He flinched as dots circled around and images filled up his vision once again. This was a recent one, one that he had been trying to forget.

_You want somebody, just anybody__  
__To lay their hands on your soul tonight.__  
__You want a reason to keep believin'__  
__That some day you're gonna see the light...__  
__'Cause you're desperate, desperate.__  
__'Cause you're desperate now..._

* * *

_It was about 1 year ago, during the Nemesis crisis. Gingka and the others had managed to break into the pyramid-like building that held the bey. However, they faced some... interruptions. Namely, Beylin Fist bladers, Bao, Johannes, and Aguma. But that was all taken care of. Toby, Zeo and Benkei- non Legendary bladers- had stayed behind to fight Johannes, Bao and the Beylin Fist bladers. As for Aguma, Yuki was currently battling him with Anubis._

_Dynamis- or rather, the evil version of himself, watched quietly from the shadows, waiting for his turn, when the gang noticed that there was still another opponent left to fight. Finally, when King noticed the other stadium, Dynamis stepped in. "When a dazzling glow lights up the earth from the heavens, a new star fragment will arrive and bring awaken a great power. However, that new light may become a new pit of darkness," he said quietly, but a sadistic tone had crept into his voice. His pupils were smaller than usual, and a murky blue substance hid the sapphire colour his eyes once used to be. Dynamis glared at the group as he started to walk quietly to the stadium._

_"D-Dynamis? What are you doing here exactly?" Gingka asked in utter surprise. His robe was black, signifying that he had crossed over to the other side. A fancy gold pendant with a large red jewel was hung around his neck. He narrowed his eyes and replied. "Gaia. The power of the four season's will is in disarray!" Ignoring Gingka's gasp, he continued. "If the heavens will such a fate, then Hades Spell is a fate that can never be escaped from. Understand? Indeed, power that is unable to fulfill its purpose is useless! In which case, you are also fuel for Nemesis's revival! It is your fate!"_

_He remembered stepping up to battle Gingka. The Legendary Blader of Autumn tried so hard to stop him, tell him that they were all on the same side, but it didn't work. The ancient curse would take more than a bunch of words to be broken. He launched Jupiter into the stadium, ignoring Gingka's attempts to bring the old him back. Meanwhile, he was trapped, trying to escape from his binds, to tell Gingka his message. Finally, Gingka did it. He managed to break the curse temporarily._

_Dynamis gasped out his message, electricity still making his body ache, before being trapped again. He didn't remember much after that, but he did remember breaking out again. Kyoya was there too, and he was the one battling now. He barely finished his message before darkness consumed him and everything went black. There was a long period before the darkness holding him back started to recede, and electricity flooded his system again. However, the pendant broke and the voices, the horrible voices receded at once. He was free. Or that was what he thought._

_After the crisis, the whispers came back again, haunting him. It was then that Dynamis realised that they would never stop, even without the pendant. He could never get rid of the darkness in his heart._

* * *

Now, Corisande turned up the electricity and the altered vision resurfaced, pushing away all positive thoughts of the memory away. She hoped it would work. It had been OK for a while now. As long as his brain didn't get overcharged by all the electric shocks, he would be fine.

_Hmm, that was pretty negative already... how do you make it even more negative?_

She found an answer and jammed a button on the tablet. Dynamis seemed to be lost in his own world, his eyes glazed over and a look of terror on his face. He had barely noticed what she had done. Grinning, she turned it up just a bit more.

_You know the things have gotta change.__  
__You can't go back, you find a way.__  
__And day by day, you start to come alive_

_Not again..._Dynamis thought, broken, as the altered memory appeared in front of him.

* * *

_This time, he said the same things, battled Gingka, and it was almost the same as his old memory. Almost. Gingka glared at him. The Pegasus blader seemed more foreboding than usual. "Dynamis, I always thought you were bad, but cursed? I can't believe I called you a 'friend' once." he said angrily._

_Dynamis flinched. Was Gingka always like this?_

_Yuki was next. He was as bad as Gingka, if not worse. "Friend? Ha. You're a monster, Dynamis." he said so little, but that made Dynamis feel so small and helpless. He felt like he was alone in the dark, lost, scared, with no one to help him. And no one cared. It was possibly worse than death, the ever-lasting pain and agony that never seemed to fade._

_All his former "friends" or even allies began to turn on him, unlike his original memory. Their insults whirled around in Dynamis's head._

_"We hate you."_

_"Cursed one."_

_"You're not fit to be an ally."_

_"Who even chose you as a legendary blader?!"_

* * *

Dynamis was arguing with himself again, all of his former calmness he had before he was captured was now gone, and even his retained sanity was starting to be questioned. "NO! ITS NOT REAL! THEY'RE MY FRIENDS, THEY WOULDN'T DO THAT!"

After a while, "... But, it seems so real..." Corisande suddenly felt an urge. She cranked the electricity up to maximum. Dynamis could almost see the sparks. His body convulsed in pain as wave after wave of electricity racked his body. The real memories, the ones with less pain, were all pushed back so far that they disappeared, and memory after memory filled his brain. He felt the pent-up horror, fear, sadness and rage threaten to be let out.

_You want somebody, just anybody__  
__To bring some peace to your soul tonight.__  
__You want a reason to keep believin'__  
__That some day you're gonna see the light..._

Suddenly, he mumbled something. It was a major breakthrough.

"F-friends? What are friends?" Dynamis questioned. No answer. Only the nasty voice in his head screaming, _Friends are nothing but jerks who hurt you when they get close!_

"Who needs friends..." Dynamis said to no-one in particular. Then, the electricity returned. More pain. More memories.

"STOP IT! YOU'RE-YOU'RE NOT MY FRIENDS! NO ONE! EVERYONE SHOULD DIE!" he yelled. His pupils were nothing but a rage-filled dull blue dot, devoid of all his sanity. Only one small part of his brain tried to stop it, desperate to escape. That part was soon to be gone, replaced by hatred and fury.

_You want somebody, just anybody__  
__To lay their hands on your soul tonight.__  
__You want a reason to keep believin'__  
__That some day you're gonna see the light...__  
__'Cause you're desperate, desperate.__  
__'Cause you're desperate tonight.__  
__Oh, desperate... So desperate tonight,__  
__Tonight..._

Corisande turned to the brainwave monitor. _Oh no! A sensory overload is happening!_

_Desperate..._

Corisande smiled. Stage three complete. She shut of the electricity and pressed yet another button. Dynamis, exhausted by all the attempts he had made to keep his sanity, fell unconscious almost instantly. But not before he said something.

"Nothing... no one's...my friend..."

_Desperate..._

* * *

**OK. That was a crazy long chapter by my standards. 3000+ words?!**

**Dynamis: So...I'm an insane...freak now?**

**Me: For now, yes.**

**Dynamis: I'm sane, you know.**

**Me: You're not in the story. Anyway critiques welcome and please review! :) **


	20. Chapter 20

**This is even longer than the last chapter O.O I had an idea, sorry! Anyway this chapter focuses on Astri and her feelings of pretending to be fine. I like doing Astri chapters...mainly because she was the first OC I made for Beyblade.**

**Astri: Really?**

**Me: Yep. So please enjoy the new longest chapter in this fanfic.**

* * *

The two beys circled around each other. Astri was distracted. The recent memory started playing, with Dynamis being imprisoned in the tube, her unable to do anything, the warning about staying away, the pain in his eyes, as if something inside him had shattered. And losing control of her power had been terrifying... she shuddered involuntarily.

"Huh?" Her vision cleared as she saw Rhea glaring at her. She returned Equia to her palm. "What?" "You're not paying attention! It's no fun battling someone who's not into it. Let's battle after you clear your head, say, in 15 minutes?" Rhea was right. It was her fault.

Astri sighed. "It's late. How about tomorrow?" "It's only 8 at night!" "And we haven't eaten yet. Come on," Having lost this battle, Rhea pouted and sulked, following the older girl. They ended up in Blue Tulip as Fiona, well her parents owned her shop and they could eat anything for free. Astri didn't eat much, just a simple omelette with mushrooms, tomatoes and ham as well as a slice of fresh toast. Meanwhile, Rhea ate a hamburger that Gingka had bought from a nearby shop.

Astri felt a tap on her shoulder. It was Tsuki. While she didn't know the Nightingale blader very well, Tsuki seemed relatively nice and fun-loving... as well as violent. The girl looked at her in concern. "You OK? You're not eating that much."

"I'm fine," Astri lied, knowing that Tsuki would probably see through the statement and press her for a truth. After a while, she continued. "I guess I'm just too worried to do anything much right now," she admitted. Tsuki smiled slightly, as if trying to comfort her. Seeing Dynamis in pain... it was horrible. So horrible that it made Astri unable to concentrate on anything after seeing that scene. She felt so alone right now. Her little brother was captured by a dark organisation, her mother _ruled _that dark organisation, and for her father, he had left home a few weeks ago. She appreciated Tsuki showing concern, but it just wasn't going to help.

She stared at Starlight, resting in the palm of her hand. She walked outside, letting her bey gleam in the moonlight. No one had followed her, leaving her perfectly alone in the darkness, only illuminated by the crescent moon, the stars and the dim street lamps. Astri sat down against the first tree she saw, pulling her legs to her chin. "Starlight," Astri stated, although she felt silly talking to a bey. "You've changed, haven't you? Because of that...that-" her voice cracked. She couldn't go on.

Starlight had evolved and she had been recognized as an Ourano Blader due to the rage she felt against the world. About how cruel and unfair it was. About how people like Dynamis who were perfectly innocent were being treated. But... was she truly one of the bladers? When she saw Riley, Fiona, Tsuki, Seth, Yu, Kaiian and Rhea, she had known that they were Ourano Bladers. They had this sort of feeling about them. As for Nile, she hardly knew him. And Astri had been separated from Dynamis.

As for her... what was she? Mostly she was just a normal blader, albeit being pretty skilled and at least being able to beat Gingka. She had never thought of herself as special. Was she only truly one of them when she was rage-filled, full of fury and hatred against others? When she was on the verge of losing control of the overwhelming strength she grasped in that very moment of anger? Not only did it make her undependable, it also made it dangerous. She didn't want to hurt any of her friends.

"What should I do, Starlight? Will I be able to activate my power?" She asked. There was no reply, then again, she wasn't expecting one. She felt like the overwhelming pressure and sadness was almost crushing. Sadness because of her mother and Dynamis, pressure because everyone looked up to her almost as a leader and not a regular friend. She was the one expected to make plans, to find the Ourano Bladers (When did that happen anyway?) to save Dynamis. The last one she could handle as he was her little brother, and she would never let anything hurt him. Astri could just imagine him still trapped in that unnatural tube-like pod, floating in the black abyss between the sharp, cold features of reality or the blissful yet torturous mind of nightmares. She couldn't imagine what he was going through right now. All she knew was that he would be kept alive. Of course he would; he was the _key_. The question was, at what cost?

She felt it all the emotions coming to her in a rush, the tears welling up in her eyes. It was natural, and everyone wouldn't blame her, knowing what she was going through. She was about to let the tears fall when suddenly...

"Astri?"

"Hey, Astri?" A voice rang out into the silence, calling her name. Astri blinked the tears away and rubbed her eyes. She had to be strong, keep up her mask of enthusiasm and spunk, not letting it slip for even a moment. The lavender haired teen slowly got to her feet, returning Starlight to her belt. She walked towards the nearby cafe, seeing Fiona walking towards her. The orange haired girl looked worried. "Where did you go?! I came down to get a hot chocolate and Tsuki tells me you walked out. Where did you go?" Astri had time to think up an excuse in a split-second before answering.

"I went for a walk," she stated, blurting out the first thing that came to mind. She did _not _want her friends, especially Fiona, to think that she had _serious _issues. Luckily, Fiona didn't pursue the matter, although she did raise an eyebrow at the grass stains on Astri's jeans. "The others are waiting," she said before heading back to the cafe. The group, once finishing up, proceeded back to the hotel that they were staying at. They probably couldn't afford it, if not for the fact that Chris actually had a job and paid for it, though he was pretty reluctant. The others couldn't believe the amount of money he had saved up. Did he literally spend his money on just food, water, clothing and shelter? Riley thought that was boring.

Astri sat quietly the bed. She could Chris's snoring on the other bed, but she didn't really mind. She had reluctantly agreed to share with a boy (it was really the only possible way) after many hours of pleading, reasoning and bribing. She decided on Chris because he didn't talk a lot and was sane. Even when traveling with the group, Chris had still taken on jobs to pay for his expenses. He had even gone without sleep some nights, which Astri found impossible, as she always, _always _had no less than eleven hours of sleep a day. The blond had stayed up for two nights in a row and as soon as they had reached the hotel, he was out. _Let the poor guy sleep, _she figured.

When she was brushing her teeth, she realized that she had left her phone charger in the kids' room. She quickly finished and knocked on the other door. Rhea and Adira had their own families to go back to, so Yu, Tithi and Riley were rooming together. When she entered, Riley was brushing her teeth and Tithi was on the other side of the room applying face paint. Yu was just sitting cross-legged on the bed, a faraway expression on his face. "Yu," she said softly, making the boy startle. "H-how can you take it?" he asked. Astri knew exactly what he was talking about. Just as she was concerned for Dynamis, Yu was concerned for Nile. Except that Nile was actually safe now...

"I don't. It hurts too, you know," she replied. Yu was confused. "But you seem just fine!" Astri had a bittersweet smile on her face. "I'm not. Don't tell anyone, but I'm just pretending." She paused to grab her phone charger and walk to the door. "Though if you want advice, I would recommend keeping yourself busy. Having no time to think about it helps a little. And you might want to spend more time to him. You're probably the only one he could tolerate without having a full-blown panic attack. You could always cajole Chris into bringing you there. If you can wake him up, that is." With that, she smiled and walked back to her room.

As she left, she heard Yu calling after her. "Thanks, Astri! You helped a lot," he said, smiling broadly. Astri only waved and left. Tired, she fell asleep almost instantly,. Sleep seemed almost like her only escape now. Unlike the beckoning, haunting voices of her brother's surreal nightmares, her nights were often dreamless. She didn't think of anything, and for that moment, she felt freer, lighter, without the burden of worries and responsibility weighing her down.

* * *

-The next morning-

Astri blinked her eyes sleepily. It was bright outside. Too bright. She had forgotten to draw the curtains and now light flooded the room. What time was it already? She switched her phone on. 11.00. Chuckling to herself, she went to shower and change. She would soon be dealing with a very angry Rhea at the bey stadium where they had agreed to meet. She could see Chris still asleep in the bed, face planted in his pillow.

When she finished, she went to wake her roommate up. "Wake up, Chris," There was no reply. "Wake up!" She said, a little louder and firmer. The teen muttered something incomprehensible before turning. Astri was getting impatient. Chris could be extremely hard to wake up sometimes, especially when he was tired. She had one option left, and she just hoped that it wouldn't involve waking up the entire hotel and being sued by angry patrons. She took a deep breath, kicked the bed as hard as she could, ripped the blanket off and yelled, "WAKE UP!" That did the trick. The blond's eyes flew open and he sat up, greeted with a blast of freezing air in the face. With the flustered and shocked look on his face, he looked almost comical. Astri took one look and burst out laughing.

The atmosphere changed when Chris casually hopped off his bed, forgetting his broken ankle. So...

"OWWWWWWWWWWW!" Astri winced, covering her ears. The kids all walked in at that time. "What just happened? You woke us up," Tithi said. Riley took one look at her brother and figured out what had happened-roughly. She helped him up with a concerned expression on her face. Chris loaded himself onto his crutches and hobbled a few steps. He still wasn't used to them, and he practiced by going up and down the hotel room. That was all fine and dandy- except for a few moments where he lost his balance and almost fell. Along with huge bags under his eyes and messed-up hair, the giant cast around his foot probably helping him right now. Yu took that exact moment to ask his question.

"Chris, can you bring me to the hospital today?" "No!" Chris was in a bad mood because of his ankle. "Awww, pwease?" Yu asked, using his famous puppy dog eyes. No-one, not even Chris could resist them as they were so utterly, undeniably cute. "Fine," Chris relented. "Wait, what?" Yu happily hummed to himself. "A promise is a promise Chris!" he chirped, smirking slightly. Chris tried frantically to argue back. He kind of hated the hospital after that unpleasant experience with the doctor not allowing him to battle.

"But I didn't prom-"

"It's a deal," Astri interjected. "Now, I believe we haven't had breakfast and we have an appointment in exactly one hour."

* * *

-At the bey park-

Rhea glared at the group. Adira just smiled apologetically and said nothing. The girl was angry. She tapped her watch. "You," she declared, "Are fifteen minutes late. I told you to arrive at 11.50."

"It was 12."

"Whatever. It's 12.05 now."

"Your watch is fast," Astri said in an amused tone, smiling when Rhea glared at her again. "So are we going to start the battle?" She attached Comet Starlight to her launcher and walked to the stadium. Excitedly, Rhea bounced to the other side, pulling out her emerald-coloured launcher.

"3-WaitWaitWait!" Rhea started. She quickly fiddled with her bey's fusion wheel before reattaching it. "Done! 3!" Astri wasn't very sure about Rhea's sudden mode change, but she decided to go along. This was her and Comet Starlight's very first battle and she couldn't wait. She knew she just sounded like a little kid with a new toy, but she couldn't help it. She raised her launcher and aimed it carefully at the stadium. She couldn't screw up, not on her bey's debut. "2!"

"1!" They said together.

"Let it rip!" The beys flew into the stadium, with Starlight rushing in to get the first attack. Equia got away, but barely. Equia's fusion wheel had changed. A piece of ruby metal on the top had slid around about 45 degrees, and a piece of iron n the bottom did the same, revealing a strange array of glass-like pieces that resembled panels. Ignoring it, Astri decided to attack again. Starlight closed in a second time, this time landing a successful attack. Equia was knocked to the side of the stadium, and immediately, it was hit again. It flew into the air and landed in the stadium, but it was still spinning pretty steadily. "Equia!" Rhea shouted.

Rhea's bey tried to attack but the powerful Attack type Starlight won in terms of strength. Rhea growled. "Time to get serious. Equia!" Starlight closed in for another hit, but it was blasted away with a burst of ruby light. Astri was dumbfounded. "What...how?" Rhea smirked proudly as Equia blasted another concentrated wave of energy at her bey. "The panels on Equia's fusion wheel are made out of chemically altered glass, having the ability to bend and warp light and air!"

Now, a stream of seemingly endless blasts of strong wind crashed into Starlight, with each hit weakening it a little. Astri felt the panic rise up inside her. She knew that this wasn't her full strength. Starlight wasn't done yet. She could feel the power that she had gained as an Ourano blader inside her. It was great, and she could definitely use that strength, but unfortunately she wasn't super-mad now. And she was afraid to find out what could happen if she lost control of herself if she _was _angry and considerably demented.

"S-Starlight! Blinding Star!" She reverted back to her old special move. She was too scared too try Diving Starburst again. She smiled at the warmth of using old style again. It reminded her of the time when she was still traveling (well technically she was traveling now), when she didn't have to worry or go crazy over stuff. It felt nice. It reminded her of the hope she felt. The last time she used this move against Fiona, she had no idea about Dynamis's condition. She could still picture him OK. Now, she couldn't hope for or picture the happy ending she once imagined. The image had permanently been burned from her mind. Shaking her head clear of the thoughts, she focused back on the battle.

She had used this move so many times; during practice with Dynamis, her friends, Gingka, and a lot of others when she competed in tournaments. She could memorize the scene. The arena lighting up in gold, searing hot, the star-shaped energy that cloaked Starlight, the sweeping powerful ray of pulsing gold clearing everything in its path. Even the blast of light that Equia released in counter-defense failed and was bounced back. Now the bey was wobbling.

"Come on! Special move then! Sapphire Storm!" The blue unicorn spirit appeared, and its horn glowed, summoning the raging storm. Astri could almost feel the gale seeping through her skin and flesh and muscle to reach her bone, flinching as the lightning crashed down onto Starlight, with a deafening clap. The storm clouds then faded and was replaced by the light, revealing a wobbling Starlight. "Mode change! Pegasus!" Rhea yelled.

The panels were concealed and replaced by the usual warped fusion wheel. Now, despite not being able to fire blasts of light, "magic", the unicorn's specialty, Astri could see the slight graceful arcs at the sides, the sketchy bumps like delicate feathers, combined with the arcs that joined them, resembled a Pegasus's wings, boosting the bey's attack.

Astri was not expecting yet another special move. "Equia! Ruby Warrior!" Her bey glowed bright ruby and the bey spirit. the ruby-coloured Pegasus emerged. It was glowing the same shade of jewel-bright red, with a tinge of gold. Starlight met its attack, but Equia somehow manage to overpower it. Tithi looked at it in interest, trying to make the most of his lessons with Yu about analyzing beys. If Yu was here, he would know. He could probably take the bey apart and find out the cause faster than Madoka's laptop.

He then noticed the problem and decided to tell Astri. "The performance tip is spinning much faster than usual, giving it extra central-fugal force to be supplied to the rest of the bey!" Astri nodded her thanks. _What do I do?! _she thought frantically. She could feel that power surging up, and it was really uncomfortable.

_You don't give up. _A voice said. It was soothing and feminine, familiar. However much she felt like she knew this voice, she couldn't figure out who was speaking. Astri looked around but there was no one. Was she going crazy?

_You shouldn't be so cautious, _it said again, encouraging her. Astri almost had a massive anxiety attack. Yep, she thought, definitely going crazy. She was just too stressed, like a taut string stretched too far beyond its limits. No matter how hard you try, eventually you'll snap, just like that string. Your mask will crack, you'll let the real you slip through. The lost, scared, pressured girl. Right now, she was that taut string, the tension increasing, feeling herself handle way too much for an average teenage girl.

_But how about Dynamis? Nile? _The voice told her bitterly, but in a gentle tone. Astri sighed. Whoever the voice was... it was right. The two had been through so much more than her, and she couldn't complain. She had no right to. What she was handling was probably a small fraction of the amount of pain the both of them suffered. They weren't behaving like Astri. She had to stay strong just like them. Or... maybe they coped by not handling it at all. She was sure they fought. But she had seen the broken, mournful look in her brother's eyes, and they had all seen Nile having a panic attack in his ward.

_Who are you? _she asked in her mind. She didn't expect the reply that floated back into your head.

_When you get through, you'll know for sure, _the voice assured her. _But you need to use your power. It's not just when you're a power-hungry monster looking for revenge._

_It...it isn't? But I'm scared. I don't want to hurt my friends... _Astri watched helplessly as her bey got ruthlessly beaten up by Equia, who had converted back to Unicorn mode and sent out another barrage of moves. Starlight fought back, as if not wanting to disappoint for its master.

_The more you fear your power, the more it will take over you, and that could be even more disastrous. You need to stop being scared._

_How do you do that?_

_I know that it feels strange suddenly having new strength, and you're being careful with it. I understand how you feel. _"I understand how you feel". That was a common phrase that friends used to comfort others. But coming from this unknown woman who was no more than a black silhouette in her mind, it felt real, like she genuinely knew how she feel. Like she had gone through the ordeal of keeping your growing feelings of fear behind. Almost like...

_You're- you're..._

_That's right, I am._

_But how?!_

_Never mind about that. Try to harness your new power and give Diving Starburst another shot. I know you-we-can do it. Let it go. Your feelings, everything._

_I-I... _Astri took a deep breath. She thought about all her emotions of fear, longing, stress, and Starlight. She thought about their bond, and her power as an Ourano blader. Positive, she told herself, only allow positive thoughts. Fear kept trying to override her brain, but she pushed it back with some difficulty.

_No Astri! If you push it away, it'll grow stronger._

She closed her eyes and imagined all those negative emotions and fuel, fuel to save her brother. It was like the air she breathed, the food she needed, the water she drank. It was the fuel for her to continue on despite everything. It was what would spur her on to overcome everything.

Rhea frowned. "What are you doing? Meditating? Equia, Alicorn mode. Galaxy Heart!" The emerald alicorn fired the beam of swirling black energy towards Starlight. Just then, Astri finally opened her eyes. Starlight started glowing and it broke free of the black cloak surrounding it. Breaking free signified a new burst of fresh air, the energy filling her, the secure thought that everything was in control, that they would fix everything.

"Special move, Diving Starburst!"

Comet Starlight skidded up the side of the stadium and climbed higher, higher, higher, losing itself in the clouds. Astri's mind was like that, reaching out, higher, until she could touch the stars. She could visualize it soaking in the power of the stars, the chilling melodic harp sound, the energy building up that was about to explode-

_No. _Astri maintained the energy, breathing deeply, trying to be calm. She _would _break free. She smiled as the blazing stars, closely resembling comets, rushed towards the ground, the bey following soon after. Equia had nowhere to go as it was hit by Astri and Starlight's true power as an Ourano blader. Instantly, it was knocked out of the arena.

As Starlight flew back to her hand, she felt the pulsing warmth radiating from it, as if it was alive. Astri smiled, no longer having to hide herself under a mask.

_Thank you. But... how am I able to communicate with you? _she felt her hand automatically touching the shimmering gold star-shaped charm on the necklace Dynamis had given her alongside the twinkling fragile glass heart.

_You're welcome. As to that question... I think you would know the answer._

* * *

**This took almost 3 hours to right. So hope you enjoyed it. Can you guess the voice in Astri's head? If you can, virtual cookies to you! *pulls out giant box of virtual cookies***

**Gingka: Wait...you had them all along and you didn't give me one?**

**Me: *nomming on cookie* Didn't you read? VIRTUAL cookies.**

**Gingka: I'm a virtual character.**

**Me: Oh yeah. Never mind. *finishes up cookie* Critiques welcome and please review!**


	21. Chapter 21

**I'm finally back! Sorry for the long wait. I was busy, preparing for a school bazaar, going on a school trip, and I can't see why WE HAVE TO GO TO SCHOOL EVEN THOUGH EXAMS ARE OVER AND WE LITERALLY DO NOTHING! *rants* Anyway, school just ended, so...YAY!**

**Dynamis: Are you done?**

**Me: *Deep breath* Yes.**

**Dynamis: Yaaaaaaaaaaay. *Starts clapping really slowly***

**Me: Oh whatever. You're not even mentioned in this chapter. Anyway enjoy! **

* * *

Rhea was running all around the garden of her house. It was situated near the bey park which she and Astri had been battling at. Humming to herself, she picked...strange plants that the bladers couldn't even recognize. There were not many flowers, and even the plants that were flowering bore plain, pale and small flowers that drooped downwards. Not a very bright and pretty sight for a garden. The redhead had dragged them here to have tea and now they were stuck here.

Finally, Rhea stood up with a bundle of plants in her hands. "Let's go back in, guys!" she chirped. When everyone was back inside, she laid the plants on the table, getting some equipment. She then handled the machines with expert speed, her fingers moving rapidly as they shoved plants in, stirred pastes together, compressing globs of goop, heating and cooling. Finally she added some blueberries, stirring the juice into the mixture. She diluted the thick, dark green liquid with some water before tipping it into a bottle. Gingka tipped his head to the side. "What are you doing, Rhea?" he asked. The girl handed the bottle to Riley. "You really don't know what this herbal medicine does?"

Gingka blinked. "Wait...it's medicine?" Everyone facepalmed mentally. "What would it be if it wasn't medicine?" Astri snapped.

"I don't know, poison maybe?" Gingka countered.

"And why would Rhea, a perfectly innocent ten-year-old make poison?"

"No idea! You never know!"

"IT'S NOT EVEN LEGAL TO OWN POISON!"

"SHUT UP!" Riley shouted. "Can't we just let Rhea to FREAKING EXPLAIN what this does?!" Everyone quietened down at her sudden outburst. Rhea smiled gratefully at her friend before continuing with her explanation. "This medicine is made out of several herbs for Nile. It's used to help his eyes heal faster."

"But how are you able to do that? It seems pretty complicated," Tithi asked. "Why do you think the hospital accepted an under-aged runt as a volunteer? I've been training to be a doctor since I was what, six? I've studied book after book about herbs and techniques and medicine."

Everyone seemed pretty impressed. Rhea labeled the bottle "C24" and stuck it in a fridge filled with similar bottles. "Now I just have to wait for it to cool. You can bring it to Nile later."

* * *

"Wait up, Yu!" Chris called as he struggled to keep up. His crutches were not very efficient in moving fast, and Yu wanted to see Nile. Yu scowled as he ran back to the older boy. "Can't these go any faster?" He asked, tapping a crutch. Chris shook his head. "I didn't want to come here in the first place!" He grumbled. Yu just grabbed him and started running again, causing Chris to almost lose his balance and fall. Now he was in an even worse mood than before.

"OK, we're here!" An _extremely_ annoyed Chris stated. Yu ignored him. He just pushed open the door and ran in. "Nile!" The Egyptian teen was seated on the bed, his eyes still covered with gauze. He seemed surprisingly calm compared to yesterday. He wasn't struggling, panicking or screaming, he was just sitting there. A drip was connected to his arm, although he barely seemed to notice it. A friendly-looking nurse looked up and saw him. "Oh, hi! You're the kid from yesterday, _non?_" Yu nodded. "Nile looks calmer," he commented, hoping that the boy was able to recover somewhat from that incident. However, that hope was crushed when the nurse responded. "_Oui._ We just sedated him, he was being very resistant to the hospital staff."

The nurse walked out of the room to get her lunch while Chris tapped Yu on the shoulder. "It's a little awkward...mind if I go out for a little? Can you take care of yourself?" Yu nodded. Smiling, Chris limped out slowly. Yu touched Nile cautiously on the arm but got no response. He then remembered that Nile's nerves were badly damaged, causing him to hardly feel anything. Yu couldn't imagine what it was like, not being able to see and feel anything. Living in a world of perpetual darkness, with nothing beneath his feet to support him. Yu tried calling his name.

"Nile?" He turned around slowly, looking for the source of the voice. He eventually faced Yu's general direction. "Yu?" His voice sounded tired and drunk from the sedative. The gold-haired boy smiled. He wanted to hug Nile, but he couldn't for two reasons. One, Nile probably couldn't feel it. Two, even if he felt it, it would probably trigger a mental relapse which could be dangerous. For now, as curious as he was to know the truth, he had to tread on eggshells. His mind searched for a topic that was safe enough. He said the first thing that came to his mind; unfortunately, it was a very bad topic indeed. "Um...how's...life?" Yu regretted the words as soon as he had blurted them out. "Wha-What...?" Nile's voice was distorted, and had a guarded tone to it. His slender fingers clenched around the gauze, as if he was going to tear it off again. The small boy frowned. He had messed up big time. And it seemed like the sedative was no match for the memories at _that place. That place_ was something that he refused to talk about.

"N-Nothing! Never mind!" But the damage had already been done. Nile was tense, instinctively curling up in a protective ball, pulling the bandage away from his eyes. Yu saw the infected, red areas around his clouded green eyes. Despite the medicine he had been taking, the infection was healing slowly. Yu was desperate to get Nile calmed down. _If only I hadn't said that. You brought up the worst possible topic that ever existed in history!_

"I brought you something," Yu said, placing a bey in his hand. Nile pressed his fingers down firmly in an attempt to feel the cold object in his hand, running them down the grooves and lines. "Is it...is it Horuseus?" Nile asked shakily, his voice wobbling. Yu nodded. He could see a tremor of fear run through Nile's eyes. _Did I mess up again? What did Horuseus have to do with this?_ Yu just had to find out what had happened to him. It was the only way he could ever manage to comfort the Egyptian boy.

"Nile, tell me what happened." There was no response. Yu only saw Nile's eyes widen. He shook his head firmly before disappearing under the thin hospital blanket. Yu pulled the blanket away gently. That was far too harsh, demanding that the boy open up to him just two days after he was found and rescued. "Well, why did you turn evil?" Yu asked, trying a gentler approach.

Still no answer. Nile was in pure defensive mode, his legs tucked firmly under his chin, his arms tightly wrapped around himself, eyes shut. What could possibly have happened to make him this way? Besides, Yu couldn't figure out why Evil Nile seemed perfectly fine and normal while Regular Nile was like...this. Almost his entire body was wrapped with bandages, the majority of it being covered by his long, baggy hospital uniform.

Yu almost couldn't recognize the shaking form in front of him. Was this really the Nile that participated in the Beyblade World Championships? The Nile that had led the group to Mist Mountain? Even the Nile that had partially recovered from the incident with his father? No. Not at all. Yu believed that he was down there somewhere buried under layers of sadness and pain and fear. But now, to look at the broken Egyptian with tear tracks on his cheeks was heart-wrenching.

* * *

Nile's POV:

I am still surrounded by darkness. It is scary. Really scary. I hardly know what's happening to me. All I can do hear the voices. The voices telling me to calm down, that everything would be OK. I can feel a foreign liquid coursing through my veins. I think it was the sedative. The one thing that kept me from lunging at whoever tries to speak to me in a rabid manner and run away. They probably think I'm mentally unstable. I probably am. I heard something along the lines of "post-traumatic stress disorder". Whatever. I just hope they don't put me in a straitjacket. Those things are _horrible. _I didn't like them at first, but now, having been cooped up for so long, I hate them even more.

Anyway, I feel like I have zero control over my body. It's probably the work of the sedative, but its scary, disconcerting...

"How's life?" I feel the sudden jolt as I feel like I'm sucked back into my body. I have control over it again. "How's life?" That sedative had no chance of stopping my reaction, changing the words somehow. Yu, please don't talk to me. I can't handle it. I don't want anyone to talk to me. Anyway, to answer your question, Yu, life has been nothing but a cruel joke. Not that I'm going to tell you, someone, a human. A _human, _probably an enemy now. May not have been before, but he was now. Everyone's an enemy.

Something is pressed into my hand and I try to feel it. I have to work extra hard just to feel a simple object now...it's so frustrating. Horuseus? Of all things, my bey? Something that was used as a ruthless torture device? The memories keep on coming back, invading the wall I built around myself. One single, powerful rush of traumatic memories, and I can't push it away. I try to, but I can't. Image after image after image, the fear and desperation and pain feeling more real than ever, the stench of blood strong and dizzying.

The tears come again, like they have frequently in the past few weeks, and I don't try to stop them like I try to every single time.

Not like I'll ever be normal again, not after that. Why stop them? Why try anyway?"

I can hear Yu faraway, calling to me, asking me about what happened._ "Nile, tell me what happened." "Well, why did you turn evil?" _The memories grow more surreal and vivid, and I can almost see the cruel smirks of two, no, three- Seth included- people. I can feel the crimson liquid on my arms, my legs, my entire body. I can hear the slash of the knife into my skin, the bandages breaking open.

I am in that world again, that world which I try to forget, to escape from all the time, but I can't return.

How did I turn evil? Yu, I don't want people talking to me. I didn't want to be evil. I thought I was the evil one, but I was wrong. Everyone's evil. I saw it. I saw reality, the _truth, _when I went through everything. Humans-me included-are pure evil. Darkness. The world is a black hole, destined to fall, destroyed by the very people who crafted it with their own hands, crafted it into the so-called beautiful world. Everything "beautiful" is deadly, cold, poisonous. Those people, with their ideas for a better world turned into power-hungry freaks.

In the end, nothing works out. No-one's good.

Please, Yu! Please stay silent! When people talk, it's too loud...it hurts a lot. When someone talks, all I can hear is _loud. _When too many people talk at the same time, it seems to fill up everything, and its almost deafening.

You'd try to do the heroic thing. To not give up on me. To try to bring me back. Everyone likes the hero. They're so blindsided by how _pure-hearted _the hero is, they fail to notice that their actions are foolish. The old me, one who believed in trust and friendship is gone.

Try, if you can. Keep on trying to win me over with your poison-coated lies. I believe nothing, not even myself. This is what happens when you know about humanity's true colours.

This is what happens when you see the world, the real world, not in the pretty packaging that people try to wrap it up in, to cover all the evil and lies up.

* * *

Yu's POV:

Nile's not paying attention. His eyes can't see, but they wander aimlessly, finally coming to rest on a plain white wall. The older members of the group had tried to keep the truth about Nile's condition from me, but no one could keep anything from me. With my sharp hearing, I knew everything. Nile had a broken arm and leg to add on to his countless injuries. His leg was in a cast, and his arm was _supposed _to be in a sling. It had obviously been ripped off the moment he had it on. A broken collarbone didn't require a cast, but it would take around three months to heal.

I'm worried. The doctor has suggested an operation for Nile to repair his nerves, but he would surely resist. It would take a lot of effort to convince him. That look in his eyes when he helped me...it was totally defeated, like he had already given up. Nile, weren't you my friend? Wasn't that why you helped me? I decide to voice my question.

"Am I your friend?" I don't expect a response, since he's trying to ignore me, but I get one. I almost wish he'd stay silent.

"No." Tears well up in my eyes.

"Why? I thought we were friends!"

"The humans in this world have too much evil in them to be considered 'friends' to anyone." His voice is detached, with no emotion in it. It's slow, deliberate, robotic.

"Then why did you help me?" I press on. I have to find the truth. I just have to! Nile falls silent, not answering once again. I repeat my question, and finally, he answers.

"I can't tell you that." His tone becomes guarded once more.

* * *

Nile's POV:

He's talking again. Yu. I just try to block everything out, so that it doesn't hurt as much. Another wall goes up around me, and I just leave my mind as a blank, so that no thoughts can affect me. It seems like that wasn't a very bright idea. With my mind emptied, there's more space for the memories, fresh scars in my mind to enter and taunt me. It's as if I can feel everything despite the fact that I can't feel properly anymore. All over again. I can feel the suffocation from the water, the lack of fresh oxygen. I can feel the searing white-hot sensation rushing through my body from the blazing, dancing flames that lick at my skin. I can feel the electric current overloading my senses.

_"Am I your friend?" _I thought Yu would have enough sense to know. I don't need any friends. I don't _want _any. Can they be trusted? Definitely not. Once they get close to you...it's all over. They're close, but that just makes the pain even more stabbing.

_"Why? I thought we were friends!" _We _were, _Yu. Not _are. _You thought so...but you're wrong.

_"Then why did you help me?" _Because those memories, the good ones, they became to much for me to handle. It filled me up with happiness, something that I haven't felt in a long time. It reminded me of everything you did. But after that, those memories were quickly forgotten. That small number was no match for the weeks of suffering. So technically, at that time I was still your friend, but Yu...not anymore. Not for a long time. Probably never.

* * *

Yu's POV:

I was shocked. Nile didn't see me as a friend! I stared at him, not caring that he couldn't see. _Something _must have happened to him in _that place. _I just know it. It's why he's like that now. He's hiding secrets, and I plan to get him to reveal them. After all, no one keeps anything from me...right? _At least, even though the sedative seemed to wear off, he's calmer now...that's got to be better._

_Or maybe he just doesn't care anymore._

* * *

**_*_Sighs* Whew, that was a lot of POV changes! I had a lot of trouble writing this chapter and I did most of it late at night so apologies if it isn't up to my usual standard. Not that my usual standard is much better.  
**

**Astri: So what's going to happen next?**

**Dynamis: I don't care, as long as its not about me.**

**Astri: *Rolls eyes* You can be so dense sometimes.**

**Me: I agree.**

**Dynamis: You're going to regret that. *charges at us***

**Tsuki: Looking for this? *Holds up bazooka***

**Me and Astri: Yes! **

**Dynamis: I'm out of here! *runs***

**Me: *Waves* I don't own MFB! And as always, critiques welcome and please review!**


	22. Chapter 22

**Sorry if this chapter is shorter than usual-**

**Gingka: I bet fifty dollars it's because she was lazy.**

**Yu: I bet you're wrong.**

**Me: -There is less content for this chapter.**

**Gingka: DARN IT! *Reluctantly hands over money*  
**

**Yu: YAY! ICE CREAM MONEY! *Runs off***

**Me: Anyway, please enjoy!**

* * *

Gingka and Astri walked towards the hospital ward with the bottle. Gingka then realized that he had never remembered to ask Astri a very, _very_ important question."So, Astri, how many Ourano Bladers are there?" The lavender haired girl thought for a while before answering. "From what I can remember, there are fifteen bladers. Why?"

"I was thinking... if we could find all of them, we would have a better chance of defeating the-" He was interrupted by Astri, who glared at him with an annoyed expression.

"Isn't time more important?!" She exclaimed.

"What use is time if we can't defeat them to start with? That's just wasting time and effort." That made Astri pause to think. Honestly, she would love to argue with Gingka. It seemed like she argued with him a lot. But she had to admit, as dense as he was, Gingka had a point. She sighed in defeat. "Fine, we'll find them. There are four bladers left." She bumped into a nurse headed into Nile's room. Sheepishly, Astri apologized, handing her the bottle. "Rhea told us to give it to the nurse in charge."

The nurse nodded. "The child prodigy? _Oui." _

The duo saw Yu trying to talk to Nile. As soon as the Horuseus blader heard the footsteps clattering as they entered the room, he sat bolt upright, hissing. His eyes narrowed towards them-how he knew they were at the door was a complete mystery. "Get lost."

"It's OK Nile, they're friends," Yu soothed. Nile angrily brushed the kid's hand away. "Who said I welcomed you?" Yu looked downcast and tired, like he'd been trying non-stop for a long time.

"Get lost NOW! ALL OF YOU!" Nile's voice bordered on hysteria. His fists were clenched so tightly his knuckles had turned white, and he was trembling uncontrollably with fear and hatred. Yu tried to calm his companion down. "Please, Nile, they won't hurt you!"

"Lies," Came the cold reply. The one word was enough to send wave after wave of pain and fear and anger washing up on everyone. It was as if the force was real, making Yu, Gingka and Astri flinch. The group realized that they were missing someone. "Where did Chris go?"

"Somewhere. I don't know." Gingka dialed Chris's number and called him. _Beep...beep...beep...The M1 customer you are calling is currently available. Please try again later._ The Pegasus blader tried again.

_Beep...beep...beep..._ This time, instead of the annoying automated reply, they could hear the faint sound of beys clashing, followed by a muffled explosion. "Go, Orion!" A voice called in the distance. Astri growled. Chris wasn't supposed to battle. He was so going to get it when she found him. "To the bey park, everyone!" Gingka dragged a protesting Yu out of the ward as Astri raced outside to call for a taxi. She spoke a few impatient French words before the taxi sped off towards the bey park.

* * *

Astri scanned the park for Chris, but all she could see was a sea of people crowding around the lone bey stadium. She pushed her way through, muttering half-hearted apologies, alternating between both French and English. Yu simply launched Libra to clear a path for them, ignoring the adults hurling insults about "uncouth tourists" and how it was a "disgrace to Japan". Astri felt her heart sink as she watched the battle unfurl in front of her. Chris's crutches had been discarded, leaning against a nearby bench.

The blond stood at one end of the stadium, his balance shifted to his right side since his left ankle was broken. He was breathing heavily, and Orion seemed to be losing the battle. Another boy was standing at the other side. Astri groaned as she recognized the figure. Indigo hair, brown eyes, trademark black jacket-yup, that was Seth, a Skia blader. Sanguis Coyote attacked without mercy, battering the other magenta bey.

"Orion, Special move-" He was cut off. "Not a chance! Special move, Copycat!" A crimson hue surrounded the two beys and a blast of violent wind struck Orion and erupted into a massive whirlwind that contained entire stadium. Chris used his hand to shield himself from the strong gust. His feet dug into the soil as he was pushed back. Jolts of pain ran up his foot as he tried to ignore them. The wind was _that _strong. Orion, despite having ball bearings, was wobbling now.

"But that's Whirlwind Savage! A move only Kaiian's Destruction Chimera can use!" Chris exclaimed in shock. Seth only smirked at the comment.

"Allow me to explain. Copycat is a move that copies the special move of one of the beys-Orion included-that you have battled against. In this case its Whirlwind Savage. You really are an incompetent fool," Seth stated calmly. Chris gritted his teeth. "Orion, stay strong! Brilliant Flash Blast!" A blast of blinding red energy, almost tipped with white, crashed into Coyote. The sheer force of the impact sent a red wave of sound crashing down onto the crowd.

"Chris! Stop!" Astri called, waving her hands in the air, trying to get the blader's attention. However, her voice was drowned out by the high-pitched ringing sound caused by Chris's special move. She covered her ears. That noise was giving her a massive headache.

Gingka and Yu clutched their heads as well. "How many decibels was that?" Yu groaned.

Coyote had been slammed into the wall, but it somehow managed to drop back onto the stadium floor, wobbling. There was a large crack where Coyote had previously been. "Not bad," Seth commented. "Maybe I underestimated you. Anyway..." Coyote sped towards the magenta bey, attacking it again.

Chris observed the bey. "Sanguis Coyote's performance tip is half rubber and half strengthened glass, enabling it to both generate friction for its special move Molten Chamber and move smoothly for..." he trailed off. "Orion, get out of there!" It was all too late. He had fallen right into Seth's trap.

"Special move, Winter Nightmare," Seth shouted. A volley of razor-sharp icicles appeared in the sky, glittering. They were stained a jet black and formed a ring, rotating quickly as they hit Orion. The bey was now barely spinning, and Chris was thrown onto the floor groaning in pain. He climbed up slowly, his whole body aching, feeling as if his left foot was on fire. He had one-technically two- move left and he had to use it. Right now. "Orion!" He called.

"Special move Combo, use Fusion Assault combined with Cyclotron Amplifier!" _This is my first time using these moves. It better work, or else I'm dead. _A few energy spheres emerged from Orion, combining together and becoming one massive ball about half as big as the stadium. Orion then launched the energy towards a translucent magenta platform in the air. The platform's thin surface rippled and the sphere of energy grew even bigger and stronger.

"Control it, Orion!" Chris yelled. A blast of energy blinded everyone close to the stadium as the spiraling red beam lost control and exploded, comet-sized wisps shooting off in about a hundred different directions. While several of them managed to hit Coyote, a few also neared Orion.

"Let it Rip! Special move, Star Guardian!" A voice cried out. Chris's head snapped up, looking around for the source. A golden shield formed around Orion and the other unidentified bey. As the light died down, Chris gasped. "Starlight? A-Astri!" The girl ignored him.

Scowling, Seth called out his next move. "Special move, Hurricane Fang!" Twin tornadoes erupted from the coyote's fangs and he pounced on Starlight and Orion. Astri hardly blinked as she countered back with her own special move. "Spear Ray!" Starlight's bey spirit emerged. The harp the young woman once carried was now a shimmering golden spear that seemed to be made out of starlight. She thrust the spear into Coyote's stomach, and it let loose a burst of pale golden energy that consumed the blood-red coyote. All that could be heard was a deafening howl of pain before the spirit disappeared altogether and the stationary bey was found in the center of the stadium.

Seth growled as he picked up his bey. "Looks like I failed my mission," He said. "But I'm sure Master Corisande will understand, as it was an unfair battle. Till next time." With that, he walked away. Chris's eyes flashed with anger. "That was my battle! You had no right to interrupt it!"

"Excuse me, but you could have gotten hurt! You're lucky we came!" Astri snapped back.

"I was doing just fine! I was challenged, so I'm the one who's bearing responsibility." Chris argued.

"Well sorry for being helpful!"

"Well SORRY FOR BEING RESPONSIBLE!"

"Look Chris," Astri sighed. "It's not your 'responsibility'. You could have told us and we would have helped."

"No. He expected you all to come. That way he could capture all of us at once. I didn't tell you because I didn't want anyone else to get hurt." Astri was shocked. Was she wrong after all? "But-but why weren't you captured?"

"The device he brought only works on several targets at once."

"Still, you were being too rash."

"I was only thinking of my friends' safety!"

"Well your _friends _wouldn't want you to-" A young man interrupted her, glaring. "Excuse me, miss, but can you and your boyfriend take this argument somewhere else? Some of us want to battle." Astri grumbled, grabbing Chris's wrist to drag him off when she realized two things. One, she was holding hands with a _boy. _Two, someone had called Chris her boyfriend. The blond boy seemed to realize it as well. Both of them blushed furiously and Astri quickly let go. Meanwhile, everyone was staring at the two of them. They had never argued before. Astri was one to pick fights easily, but until now, she had never snapped at Chris. And this argument...well...it was ten times as bad as an argument with Gingka.

"HE'S NOT MY BOYFRIEND!"

"SHE'S NOT MY GIRLFRIEND!" It actually seemed comical that they both said it at the exact same time. "Ah, such young love," Someone in the crowd cooed wistfully. If it was possible, both of them turned redder. Chris limped slowly towards his crutches. Grabbing them, he hobbled away.

"Wait! Where are you going?! Chris? CHRIS!" Astri shouted after him.

"Away," Came the soft reply. He had gotten surprisingly fast on his crutches. Astri walked after him, but he was already gone. She turned to Gingka, dejected. Yu patted her back to comfort her, and she managed a small smile. "I can't believe him."

Tithi suddenly popped up. "I think he just needs some time to cool down. He'll come back sooner or later." It was surprisingly wise for a young child. She was about to return to her hotel to rest when her phone beeped, alerting her to a message. A message from Chris.

_Dear Astri,_

_I think I need some alone time. Don't worry about me, I'll be fine. If you want to find me, meet me at the Twilight Woods Tournament in Hong Kong. I'll see you there, so don't panic, OK? Don't do anything crazy. I have the feeling you will._

_Till then, take care. _

_-Chris_

* * *

**I made a more Chris centered chapter because its relevant to the plot.**

**Astri: Chris is wrong.**

**Chris: *pops out of nowhere* No, Astri's wrong. **

**Both of them: *Starts arguing***

**Everyone: Ahhh, such young love.**

**Astri and Chris: WHAT?!**

**Me: ...Clearly you're in denial.**

**Astri: N-no!**

**Me: *Ignores her* Hope you enjoyed. Critiques welcome and please review!**


	23. Chapter 23

**I am back with another chapter! Finally! Yay! Sorry if this chapters boring. Its kind of a filler... and there is a battle at the end, but its short. **

**Tithi: I feel unloved. Nyx hasn't put me in a lot of chapters! :(**

**Me: Don't worry Tithi. You're in this chapter!**

**Tithi: Yay!**

**Me: Please enjoy the chapter!**

* * *

Astri was on a plane, yet again, but this time to Hong Kong. Riley and Kyoya had demanded to come along. Riley wanted to have fun and stay with her friends while Kyoya had not battled Gingka yet. Nile was still in the hospital in France and wouldn't be going until he healed properly. Yu wanted to stay, but his other two friends convinced him that Nile would be fine. Tsuki and Fiona had promised to keep an eye on the Skia Bladers.

Picking up a spoon, Astri dug into her sparse meal. Gingka had already finished his food and was ordering seconds, Kyoya was reading a magazine that so happened to be about lions, and Yu was chatting with Riley and Tithi. It all seemed normal- except for the absence of one particular member. Astri sighed, rereading the message that Chris had sent her. He was an important reason why she had managed to stay sane while traveling.

She was currently with a boy who was overly optimistic and annoying, a boy who only cared about beating Gingka and nothing else and three hyper kids. Surprisingly, the kids weren't all bad. They could annoy her like crazy, but they were cute. But Gingka and Kyoya...well that was another issue altogether. Both of them bickered throughout the entire flight, giving her a massive headache. She scrolled through pictures on her phone. She smiled at a picture of her two years ago, seated on her tall dappled gray mare Mist Shower, jumping.

She fondly remembered Misty, who was currently at home in the stables along with her other two horses Luna and Flaming Myth. Misty was a present for her 16th birthday, a five-year-old Arab and Connemara cross. Although the feisty horse didn't like her at first, Astri worked hard to please the mare. Soon, after lots of grooming, quality time and riding, Misty became her best friend. Astri would sometimes spend days at the stable riding and grooming Misty instead of staying home.

"Nice picture." Astri jumped at the sudden voice. Tithi was peering at it. "Your horse?"She nodded. The boy smiled. "Cool."

"I'm the top blader!"

"No, I am!" Astri growled at the two teens at the back bickering. "Shut up! I beat Gingka who beat you previously! So I'm better than both of you! Go back to your lion magazine or whatever!" She turned back to looking at her phone, reminiscing the good old days when she rode Misty without a care in the world. Those were the best days ever.

* * *

"Passengers, we have landed." Astri jumped up, stretching her legs and yawning. She walked out of the plane, closely followed by the others. Tithi frowned. "Where are we going to stay, Astri?" "We'll just stay at a hotel or something."

"But Chris is the one handling the money! He earns it!" Astri smacked her head. _Not funny, Chris. Not funny at all._ She was trying to figure out another place where they could stay for a week, for... two hundred dollars. _Great, job, Astri._ The voice in her head said sarcastically.

_Oh, shut up._ The Starlight blader snapped back mentally. The voice grudgingly fell silent. Gingka was wailing "We have no money to buy food!" while Kyoya, being the person he was, was just not giving a damn about anything. Yu, Tithi and Riley were throwing out random, impossible ideas that really didn't help to improve the mood. Astri mentally face-palmed. She should have brought some money along, or at least taken some for Chris. The group was in a dilemma when a voice from behind interrupted them.

"Or you could stay with us." Gingka whipped around to see Dashan. He had an amused look on his face as he looked his group up and down. "Got some new traveling partners?" He asked, cocking an eyebrow. Gingka slapped his shoulder. "Whatever. I thought Beylin Temple was in Beijing! And how did you know we were here?!"

"It is. We came here for the Twilight Woods Tournament, or the _Mu Se Sen Lin Bi Sai._ And your friend, the blond called Chris, I think, told us you were coming." Astri's heart leaped. Chris was already here in Hong Kong? Was he OK? "Where is he?" She asked. "I'm sorry, but I don't know. He left right after visiting Beylin Temple, and he came just to see how good the bladers were." Dashan replied kindly, guiding his presumed guests towards the taxi.

* * *

-At Beylin Temple's villa-

"You own THIS?!" Tithi said in awe. Dashan chuckled and nodded. When he pulled open the door, they saw the rest of Beylin Temple -Chao Xin, Mei Mei, Chi-Yun, Bao, and Aguma. Chao Xin, Mei Mei and Chi-Yun waved to the group and Aguma simply waved hello. Bao frowned. "I know you, you, you and you,"he said, pointing at Gingka, Kyoya, Yu and Tithi, "But who are the rest?" "I'm Astri and this is Riley." Astri offered. They all sat down for dinner and catching up.

"So there's a new threat, huh? Saving the world, blah blah blah, AGAIN?!" Bao whined. "We have to do that AGAIN?" "Shut up and let the girl continue." Aguma smacked his friend's head, silencing him. "Yes. There are fifteen Ourano Bladers, and eleven have been found. We need to find the other four." Dashan pondered on this for a while before replying. "Could any of our bey's be an Ourano bey?" He, along with the rest of the team, held their beys up for Astri to see. The girl scanned them quickly before shaking her head.

"None of clan?" Mei Mei asked with a disappointed tone in her voice.

"She means 'none of them'.' Chao Xin said, irritated. Astri gave them an apologetic half smile. Dashan shrugged, only slightly disappointed. "Nothing we can do about it. Chi-Yun, show them to their rooms." The short blader led them upstairs where there were a row of guest rooms. And when they say 'guest rooms', each room was the size of a cottage. Cottages were small, but still, a room the size of one was pretty darn big. Gingka plopped down on the bed. "This is the life!"

Pretty soon, everyone was settled down in their rooms. Astri snuggled up under the duvet, reading a book she had brought along during her journey. It was 8.00 at night, but she couldn't sleep. She felt like staying awake for a while more. She gave up on reading the book after a while- she hadn't even been focusing while she picked the book- and flipped open her laptop, clicking on a bookmarked link. It came to her Facebook page, where she posted random pictures of herself and her friends. Her profile picture was, unsurprisingly, a picture of her and Misty jumping over a double. That was a year before, and she looked so much younger in that photo. Her long hair was tied neatly in a ponytail, and she had a huge smile on her face. She had made it a habit to update regularly, so much that it seemed almost like a blog. But since all the chaos started, she hadn't posted anything. She looked at the last entry.

_October 12, 2014_

_Riding Misty again! She is by far the best horse to ride in my opinion:) Anyway, we went to a dressage competition and won 3rd place. Good enough for me! She was a total gem during that test. I really have to feed her more carrots! She is KAWAII in these photos! I mean, just look at them!_

_I'm going to the bey park after this. Heard there's a tournament there and I'm entering. Me and Starlight are definitely gonna win! We make the perfect team! But now, let me eat some chocolate chip cookies-freshly baked. Did I mention they are my all-time favourite food? I could just eat them all day, they are so sweet and crunchy and chocolate-y and... *drools* just PERFECT. I think I rambled on enough about cookies. My birthday's in about a month and a week away! I usually get to eat cookies baked by Mummy but I live by myself now so :( The recipe just isn't there. I try to bake them myself but unfortunately, I'm pretty terrible at cooking and baking. I order them from a bakery near my house._

_And I rambled on again. Sorry! Typing this in the stable while Misty nuzzles my pockets looking for treats. Wish me luck for the Beyblade tournament, everyone! Misty, STOP BITING MY BACK POCKET! EEK! Now I have to check if she tore my jeans too!_

_I guess I'll be back again in a day or two!_

_-Astri_

Astri smiled at the photos of her and Misty posing for the camera. She also had not realized that she was drooling on her pillow. _Cookies...yum..._And it was her birthday in a week? Time passed so quickly? Wow. Sadly she wouldn't be enjoying cookies on her birthday. She would be participating in the Twilight Woods Tournament. Oh well. Maybe the day after that. She decided to update her Facebook page again. As her fingers struck out a rhythm, tapping the buttons rapidly, she became lost in her thoughts of writing and all the recent events.

_November 11, 2014_

_I'm back again. Man, it feels like forever since I updated._

_You'll probably notice that I'm not as hyper as I used to be. My life is very...chaotic now, and I hardly have time to write. My apologies for abandoning this blog. I can't really explain anything, but a lot of things are going on now. I've stopped riding temporarily, and I miss it. I miss jumping, and eventing, and I miss Misty most of all. Flame and Luna too. I'm on a journey with a few friends, and there are a few complications going on now, so don't expect me to update for a long time._

_Any big events that happened in the last month? Well...yes. One, as I said earlier, I went on a journey. The reason why I went on one... well that's something big. I can't tell you why...it's kinda secretive. Well, at least there's some good news!_

_Starlight evolved! Yes, she is now Comet Starlight and she's loads stronger. Unfortunately, I still have a little to learn about controlling the power. It's tricky, but I can keep it under control most of the time. Most. And I realized that this isn't relevant, but I never posted the results of that 'bey competition'. Well, I won._

_I'll be back, don't worry. As if I'd ever abandon this sort of journal/diary/blog. I'd never. But it's definitely going to be left untouched for quite a while._

_-Astri_

She tapped the 'send' button and read her post, contented. Writing everything out was helpful, and besides, her mind was now jam-packed with other things from her previous entry. Plus, she felt tired and couldn't really think about many sad thoughts. She closed her laptop, put it on the bedside table and closed her eyes, expecting to have insomnia like she usually did. It normally took her about two hours to wander into dreamland.

Unknowingly, for the first time in...well, forever, she fell asleep peacefully, quickly, her mind filled with sweet dreams of chocolate chip cookies and horses.

* * *

"Is this drool on my pillow? No wonder. I had such a nice dream about cookies," Astri muttered sleepily, before lazily stretching and sitting up. Where was she? Oh yeah, in the villa. She heard someone rapping on her door. "Come in," She said, annoyed.

"Astri! Your breakfast's ready!" Riley's voice was muffled by the door. "Coming..." The teen grumbled. She changed out of her pajamas into a much more appropriate maroon shirt and long gray pants, not really caring about how she looked. She walked down the stairs. Apparently she was the last one to wake up, since no one was at the table. She quickly ate her breakfast and washed up before walking outside. She found her way to a private training stadium where everyone was battling.

"Go Leone!"

"Pegasus!"

The two beys clashed and Astri watched with interest. Gingka and Kyoya were _finally_ battling and that hopefully marked the end of the bickering over which blader was better. Yu was battling Mei Mei and it seemed like the latter was losing. Tithi was paired up with Riley in a battle against Aguma and Chi-Yun. Dashan had gone off to do some training on his own. Only Bao was standing around a spare stadium, looking a little lonely. Hades Crown was spinning around the stadium, but he watched his bey race around with little interest. Astri walked up.

"Hey, Bao. Wanna battle?" She asked, pulling out her launcher and attaching Starlight to it. In response, the redhead enthusiastically recalled Hades Crown, reattaching it to his launcher. "Ready?" Astri asked with a hint of a taunt in her voice. Bao smirked.

"Bring it on. I was born ready, girl," He countered, aiming his launcher. Astri readied hers too.

"3!"

"2!"

"1!"

"Let it rip!"

* * *

"Go Quetzalcoatl!" Tithi cheered. His yellow bey crashed into Scythe Kronos, sending it flying. "Fight back Kronos," Aguma replied. Kronos landed at the edge of the stadium and launched itself at Quetzalcoatl, sending it flying. The man smirked but his smug look quickly disappeared when a green blur sent his bey into the stadium wall. Kronos dropped out of the crack, wobbling slightly. Tithi looked at Riley and nodded his thanks, but the hyperactive girl didn't seem to notice. She was too busy with the battle.

"Send everything flying, Roe!" Riley yelled at her bey, who just barreled into every opposing bey she saw with raw power. It worked- both Lacerta and Kronos were tossed aside easily like rag dolls. Tithi ordered Quetzalcoatl to close in and attack while the two beys were weak, but surprisingly, Quetzalcoatl was knocked to the side by Roe, who continued its shower of merciless attacks. Tithi glared at his blond friend, any earlier thoughts of gratitude quickly evaporating.

"Riley, we're supposed to work together!" He snapped. The girl simply shrugged.

"You were in my way!" Riley argued. "I don't have time for this! Special move, Cloud Fissure!" The stadium started to shake violently except for the ground that Forest Roe was on. The other three beys started to wobble. A lot.

"RILEY! Stop it! Special move, Ascent Spark!" The yellow bey spiraled into the air before attacking Roe, causing it to break the special move. The short girl scowled at her partner. "Stay out of my way, Tithi!" She shouted as Roe started attacking every single bey in its line of sight, not giving a care in the world about who it was. "I battle on my own!"

"Fine then! We'll battle separately! Special move, Ishtar Impact!" Both he and Quetzalcoatl glowed amber, and his bey started spinning faster than usual, Quetzalcoatl's beast emerging and heading for Lacerta. Chi-Yun raised an eyebrow. "Tempestuous Whirlwind Sword!" The huge red lizard Lacerta emerged, slamming its tail to meet the attack. The two beys were thrown back equally. Meanwhile, Kronos was closing in while Tithi was distracted.

"Special move, Volcanic Storm!" A mini volcano appeared and erupted, spewing molten lava everywhere, forming a storm with drops of lava instead of water.

"Solid Iron Wall!" Both Chi-Yun and Aguma cried quickly.

While Kronos and Lacerta was barely spinning, Quetzalcoatl had been thrown out of the stadium. Tithi was absolutely livid. "RILEY!"

Chi-Yun and Aguma looked at each other, a look of understanding passing between them, and they nodded. Taking advantage of the squabble, they called out their move. "Thermal Lacerta!"

"Scythe Kronos!"

"Joint Special move! Tartarus Hurricane Blade!" A jet black sword appeared in Kronos's hand and he rushed towards Riley. Lacerta conjured up a hurricane that enveloped the blade completely.

"Ah! Roe!" Riley cried. The deer cried in pain before it was knocked out of the stadium. "Sorry Tithi, I wasn't thinking straight."

"It's OK Riley, it's just one battle." Mei Mei's Aquarius had lost against Kikoeru Libra and they were pretty sure they had heard a "HELL YEAH!" from Gingka. Now, all of their attention was focused on Astri and Bao, who had just started to battle.

* * *

**Sorry if the writing wasn't my usual standard. And I managed to incorporate horses into this story! Yay! Um, sorry to anyone who doesn't like horses? But COME ON! Everyone does...right? *cute face***

**Gingka: You try to incorporate horses into every one of your stories.**

**Me: It's true but still... I do ride horses (English), and I love them 3 They're so cool~ **

**Gingka: Shut up about horses if you don't want a broken arm.**

**Me: *Suddenly goes quiet, dark, very dark glare***

**Gingka: Um...?**

**Astri: Nyx has a bad history with broken arms...**

**Me: 3 times in 3 years. Basically once a year. I recently recovered from a broken collarbone. So if you say that phrase I will...**

***1 HOUR LATER***

**Me: *Innocent face***

**Gingka: *Beat up* H...how did you get so many-*shuts mouth***

**Me: Riding accidents? Anyway hope you enjoyed. Next chapter will be Bao vs Astri. Critiques welcome and please review!**


	24. Chapter 24

**I'm back! *Starts humming My Little Pony theme song***

**Kyoya: OH GOD NOT THAT SONG! MLP SUCKS!  
**

**Me: MLP does not suck. And the theme is annoying, that's why I'm singing it~! *Casually throws Rainbow Dash figurine at him***

**Kyoya: THAT HURT!  
**

**Me: Whatever. Do the disclaimer.**

**Kyoya: Do I really have to?**

**Me: I have Leone here.**

**Kyoya: *Sighs* Nyx does not own MFB. Please enjoy. Not...**

* * *

Hades Crown and Comet Starlight circled around each other, waiting for the opponent to make a move. Finally, Bao couldn't wait any longer. "Go, Hades Crown!" The red bey moved towards Starlight quickly. Astri smirked. "Starlight, dodge it!" The gold bey's slanted performance tip rotated and it moved to the left, easily avoiding the attack. Hades Crown chased after the bey, but each time, Starlight was able to evade the attacks smoothly. The one who was losing stamina faster was now Hades Crown.

"Your attacks are too predictable!" Astri called in a sing-song voice. Bao narrowed his eyes. Starlight now changed its strategy and slammed into Hades Crown at full speed, causing the opposing bey to wobble slightly. Bao watched helplessly as his bey was bashed over and over again.

"Hades Crown! Flash Attack!" Hades Crown rushed towards Starlight at an incredible speed, causing a massive explosion and red light to fill the air. Astri shielded her eyes from the light. Finally, the smoke died down to reveal a Starlight that was wobbling.

"Not bad, Bao. Go now Starlight! Stamina mode!" The bottom split half of Starlight's fusion wheel moved up, so that it fit snugly below the top half. Bao then noticed the twisted design of the silver ring. Hades Crown kept on attacking but Starlight didn't seem to be affected a lot. The black, gold and silver bey circled furiously around Hades Crown in a barrage attack, before striking with an uppercut attack, sending the red bey into the air. Bao suddenly smirked.

Astri gasped as Hades Crown started to spin wildly in the air. And by wildly, she meant in several different directions at once. Several red streaks appeared in the sky, forming a ball. Bao smiled. "Special move, Crimson Turbo!" The ball crashed into Hades Crown, causing it to accelerate. Astri flinched as a glowing red bey hit Starlight at almost light speed. Even the bey in Stamina mode had taken some serious damage. The bey was now wobbling a lot. Bao raised an eyebrow. "So this is what an Ourano Blader's power is? I can't say I'm impressed. Hades Crown!" The bey struck Comet Starlight over and over again, giving it no chance to escape.

Suddenly, Astri saw her chance when the be paused for a split second. "Escape now, Starlight! Attack mode!"

The silver wheel moved downwards again, sending centrifugal force to the bey. The performance tip rotated again and Starlight fled to the center of the arena. "Special move, Blinding Star," She called. Starlight glowed brightly and sent the deadly concentrated wave of gold light towards Hades Crown, who was sent to the edge of the stadium. It was still spinning, but its spin power had decreased quite a lot since the start of the battle. Bao growled under his breath.

"Whatever. Flash Attack!" He commanded. "Shoot!" Astri muttered. The voice in her head chided her. _What are you doing? You're having problems against this blader?!_

_No, I'm far from finished. Stay quiet, would ya?_

_Whatever... _Came the reluctant reply. The voice fell silent, leaving Astri to concentrate.

A crimson flash struck Astri's bey, making it weaken. But no, Hades Crown was far from done. It changed direction and charged into Starlight again, causing it to be sent flying into the sky. Bao crossed his arms and smiled. "You're finished." His eyes widened when Astri seemed completely relaxed even though she was losing. "Not," She stated, pointing to the sky, where a thin golden line was forming. The voice couldn't resist the urge to talk. _Hurry up and do it already!_

"Shut up, I know what to do!" Astri realized that she said it out loud and she slapped her hand over her mouth, her eyes wide. Bao stared at her, slightly freaked out. Of course the redhead had to think that she had mental problems. Whatever. Now wasn't the time for such thoughts. She refocused and watched the gold line reach the highest possible point and sparkle in the sunlight. Bao gasped as he realized what the girl was up to.

Astri was enveloped in a bright golden aura that attracted the attention of everyone else. Her normally sapphire eyes contained tinges of gold that flashed. "Special move, Diving Starburst!" She commanded. The light shone even brighter as Comet Starlight absorbed the power of the stars and the hauntingly beautiful melody played. Three stars appeared in the sky, enveloped by gold-orange flames, each one scoring a direct hit on Hades Crown.

Bao was too shocked to react as a glowing Starlight followed soon after, causing a massive explosion.

When the smoke cleared, Hades Crown was in a crack in the stadium, not spinning. Starlight was still spinning, also in a crack. It flew back to Astri's hand, sizzling with the heat from the battle. Bao walked forward to recall his bey. He then stared up at Astri. "You...how..."

"You were overconfident," She said simply before spinning on her heel and walking off, leaving a bemused Bao at the arena. Gingka tapped her on the shoulder. "Hey, Astri," The lavender haired girl ignored her and walked off to take a drink, probably embarrassed by talking out loud before she had called her special moved. He got up from the bench and jogged after her. "Who were you talking to?" Astri sighed and turned around.

"Do I really have to tell you?" She asked with a defeated note in her voice. She knew how persistent the Pegasus blader could be. Everyone else had already arrived, curious. _Oh, yeah, let's totally tell everyone my big secret! _She thought sarcastically.

_Big secret? I'm not that big. Besides, they won't kill you or anything._

_Could you just SHUT UP FOR ONCE?!_

"I was talking to Starlight," Astri said indifferently. Tithi gasped. He stared up at the older girl with wonder. "You can actually talk to your bey?" Astri nodded. "But how?" Yu asked.

"The star charm on my necklace. It was given to me along with Starlight when I was little. A piece of Starlight's spirit is sealed in this Charm, enabling her to communicate with me. Ya follow?" She looked around at the group who just stared back at her, totally lost. She face-palmed. "Never mind."

* * *

-Five days later-

After five long days of exhausting training, everyone was ready to drop. So they retired to their rooms for the night. Astri still had an hour before she usually slept, so she kept herself occupied by watching My Little Pony videos, snuggling with her plushy-yes, she had a plushy. A Princess Luna plushy. And she was not about to let anyone know that. She soon became bored and decided to sleep. Just then, there was a knock on the door. "Come in," She yawned.

Just as Yu entered her room, Astri realized that she still had her plushy out. She quickly stuffed it under the covers, but Yu had seen it. He grinned, trying to stifle a laugh-and failing. "You have a plushy?" "No," Astri said, completely straight-faced.

"Nah, I saw it already. But seriously, Astri, I never thought you were a My Little Pony fan-" The girl turned red with embarrassment at this point. "-and that even have a plushy, you don't seem like the type to have a-" Astri cut him off. "What are you here for?"

"I need an extra towel." Astri walked into the bathroom, grabbed a towel from the rack and chucked it at him. Smiling, he caught it neatly and walked off. The Starlight blader wiped her bey one more time to ensure that it was in good condition before burrowing under the covers and falling asleep.

* * *

Astri yawned as she woke up, quickly checking the time. It was 7 a.m. Good, she woke up on time. The tournament started at nine and she couldn't afford to be late. She took a quick shower to rejuvenate herself and slicked her hair back into a tight ponytail. She walked down the stairs to join the group for breakfast. Yu took one look at her and his mouth started twitching. The lavender haired girl narrowed her eyes at him in a glare, sending him a silent threat. _Don't. Say. A. Word. Or else. _Everyone knew that Astri's threats were serious. So Yu bit his lip to keep himself from smiling and silently took a bite of his breakfast.

"So, Astri," The teen jumped slightly at Gingka's sudden voice. "You excited that we're going to see Chris again? And maybe find an Ourano blader?" Astri almost missed the second part. She missed the Orion blader. A lot. Like every single muscle in her body was tensed and ready to bolt to the competition location. She wanted to scream _DUH! _loudly in his face, but she retained her usual expression and nodded. "Yeah. A little."

Tithi looked closer. "You're blushing. Are you crushing on him?" The slight tint of red on her cheeks flared up and she looked away. "NO!" She ignored the fact that she was blushing like mad and that her heart was pounding. She barely heard Gingka say, "_Oh, she's got it bad."_

"Lovebirds!" Tithi and Riley chorused before all three of them started singing happily.

"Astri and Chris sitting in a tree~" Astri growled at them and they had the sense to shut up.

"Oh, by the way, Gingka?"

"Yes?"

"Could we go to Greece after this tournament?"

"Sure, but why?"

"There's a rumor of a really powerful blader there. And I would like to take this opportunity to visit home as well."

"Oh. OK then."

"Everyone finished?" Da Xiang asked, poking his head around the door, completely unaware of what had happened. When the group nodded, he pointed outside. "Because the taxi's here. Let's go." Everyone filed into the taxi and the vehicle sped off towards the competition location.

* * *

At 8.15, the taxi pulled to a halt outside the location and the bladers jumped out. There were four paths leading up to a large flat surface with a stadium in it. The paths were large and wide enough for multiple bladers to cross at one time. There were also several natural obstacles for them to cross. It was something like the Beyster Island Championships, according to Mei Mei. Bladers were supposed to go as fast as they could to reach the mountain peak, and they had to successfully pass the obstacles as well. In fact, it _was _a recreated version of the Championships-the only exception was the fact that you could battle on the paths as well as the checkpoints.

Astri scanned the large crowd of spectators, unable to find Chris. She grumbled. "The crowd's too big." Luckily, no one heard her over all the noise. She sighed. _I'll just register first._

She joined the snake-like queue in the competitors tent. Actually, it wasn't really a tent. It was just a _really _large sheltered area. Most of them were queuing. Some were milling around waiting for the briefing to start. It was total chaos everywhere- and she hated chaos. She had enough wildness in her life-she didn't need more.

Gingka had found some old friends- Yuki and Kenta- and was chatting with them happily. Meanwhile, Astri tapped her foot on the floor in boredom.

Finally, after an eternity of waiting, she reached the tent. She signed against her name before joining the other participants in waiting for the briefing to start. Most of them was here already. Suddenly, Astri saw a familiar tuft of blond hair. She groaned inwardly. _Don't tell me...he plans to complete with a broken ankle?!_

The teen turned his head slightly, revealing his dark purple eyes. Yup, that was Chris. Astri felt her face heating up and her heart beating really fast-it was a mystery why she hadn't exploded yet. The blond Orion blader didn't seem to have noticed the teen. He was just sitting slightly away from the chaos of the crowd, eyes focused on nowhere in particular. Astri was about to walk up to him when the Chinese DJ shouted into the microphone. "All bladers, please assemble! The briefing is starting!"

Astri was unable to do anything as the crowd surged forward, causing her to be unwillingly pushed back.

_Chris..._

* * *

**Astri has a crush on someone!**

**Astri: DO NOT!**

**Everyone else: DOES TOO!**

**Me: Just admit it already.**

**Astri: I DON'T HAVE A CRUSH ON HIM!**

***Dynamis suddenly enters***

**Me: Oh, there he is! Hi! I drew you! And I wrote a song about you for absolutely no reason at all! I drew Chris too but that's not relevant!**

**Chris and Dynamis: Stalker much...?**

**Me: Critiques welcome and please review! *Chases after Chris and Dynamis* COME BACK HERE YOU TWO!**


	25. Chapter 25

**This chapter has two battles in it. The next few chapters will be focused on the Twilight Woods Tournament, so hopefully you won't grow bored with that. And I am planning something with the third chapter, so hopefully it's OK. **

**Gingka: You seem oddly sane for once. Did you not have sugar?**

**Me: Um, firstly, I didn't have sugar and I have never been on a sugar rush. Secondly, I am naturally hyper but it's nighttime now.**

**Gingka: EVERYONE! LET'S TREASURE THIS TIME! PARTY!  
**

**Me: Such a kid... Anyway, hope you enjoy! I don't own MFB!**

* * *

"All right! As you see, the Twilight Woods Tournament is a similar set-up to the Beyster Island Championships. You have to race up these four paths-which are intertwined with each other, I have to add- and cross these natural obstacles. You can battle each other anywhere, anytime- it's not just restricted to the checkpoints." He paused to take a sip of water. "However, at the checkpoints, once your opponent is defeated, you have to wait until the next blader comes, where you have to defeat him or her before you can move on."

"The two bladers who reaches the top first wins. Everyone clear?" The bladers nodded. "Great! We'll be starting the tournament in 10 seconds. Ten, nine , eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two... ONE!" A gong sounded and every participant rushed forward. Astri ran up to Chris, noting that he had taken off his cast. His ankle had healed slightly, but it hadn't mended yet. The teenage girl was hoping to talk some sense into him.

"Chris-" She started. The blond cut her off.

"I'll see you at the top if you make it, Astri," He stated before disappearing in one swift motion. He was insanely quick, despite the fact that he had an injured foot. It must have been his blader-for-hire thing. Brushing the thought aside, she ran up the nearest path. Almost immediately, she was surrounded by beys. She saw a group of ten boys smirking at her. "It's not nice to gang up on a girl," Was all she said before she launched Starlight, blowing away all the beys.

"I have to get there no matter what," She muttered to herself. "Whoa!" She nearly ran straight into a giant log. _Natural obstacles, huh._ She climbed over it with some difficulty. She kept Starlight by her side, who easily knocked away any bey that tried to come close to her. After a few minutes, she reached a checkpoint. It was an walled area with a door that signaled the exit. "So who's my opponent?" She asked, recalling Starlight. Her question was soon answered as a boy walked up. Black and gold hair, green eyes, pale skin, skinny figure. She glared at him with hatred in her eyes. "Kage," She snarled. The blader opposite her smirked, readying his launcher.

"3!"

"2!"

"1!"

"Let it rip!"

Kage raised an eyebrow at the gold bey that rushed towards him. Werewolf stopped the attack easily. "My bey's a defense type, you know. Your attacks do virtually nothing," He said. Astri growled. A Skia blader would not be forgiven. She felt anger rising up inside her from the very _thought. You will PAY!_ Starlight glowed and started to increase its attack power. _Calm down!_ Starlight told her urgently. Astri took a deep breath. This would _not_ be like the other time. She would control it.

Finally, she managed to knock the bey back. "Not bad. Go Werewolf!" He said. The black and silver bey's fusion wheel changed, revealing sharp blades. "Attack mode!" Now Starlight was the one being pushed back. "Ugh! Starlight, fight back!"

Starlight went from Stamina mode to Attack mode, the two beys now clashing again. Starlight, being mainly an attack type, was able to win in terms of power- but the defensive Kinzoku Werewolf managed to keep damage from each attack minimal using its heavy Energy Ring. "Special move, Howling Fangs!"

"Um- Special move, Star Guardian!" A golden shield formed around Starlight, causing the black Werewolf's fangs to harmlessly bounce off. The shield then melted and Starlight dived straight for Werewolf. However, it was sent flying back into the stadium. "The spikes on its performance tip repel beys who try to attack it. I have to remember that," Astri said.

"Special move, Spear Ray!" Starlight's bey spirit appeared and she held the gold spear. Werewolf howled in pain as it was sent flying back, wobbling. "Special move, Shadow Assault!" Werewolf suddenly disappeared. Astri gasped in shock. "Where did it go?!" Suddenly, a blob of black shadows engulfed Starlight, causing it to wobble. "The only way to spot it is to see the shadows on the ground!" Astri realized, training her eyes on the stadium.

She saw a black circle emerge near Starlight. "Now, Starlight! Escape!" It's performance tip whirled around and it sped away to the left. "Too late!" Another shadow froze Starlight, and her bey was unable to move. Starlight's spin was slowly becoming less steady. "Special move, Blinding Star!"

The stadium became extremely hot, lighting up, causing Werewolf to show itself, the cloak of shadows melting away. The deadly ray of gold energy swept across the stadium, causing Werewolf to be sent flying. However, it was still spinning. "Gah! It didn't finish it?!" Astri grumbled.

"Don't underestimate me," Was all Kage said before Werewolf headed towards Starlight. _Hmm... The extra-heavy energy ring gives it superior balance and defense, but also decreases attack power and speed! _"Starlight! Dodge his attacks!" _Dodging is my specialty after all! _The gold bey danced around Werewolf, causing Kage to become increasingly annoyed. He started to think what he could do. Suddenly, a sadistic smile started to spread across his face, making Astri uneasily back away a few steps. _Uh oh. I don't like the look on his face..._

"Special move, Silent Steel Crush!" He said. A metallic silver light filled the stadium, and everything became so quiet that it made Astri feel worried. "Starlight? Are you OK?" After about a minute, the light finally started to ebb away, and then the horrible noise came. A grinding metallic high-pitched sound, and an agonized scream from her bey that made her heart twist. A piece of Starlight's fusion wheel had been broken off, causing it to lose its balance.

"Like it? You're easier than your brother," He said, smirking. "W-What?" Astri stuttered, her eyes wide and a look of shock on her face. Finally, realization dawned on her. "You were the one who captured him?" She felt her rage building up and Starlight couldn't do anything about it. "Took you long enough to realize." Astri growled at him. "And," He continued. "Your bey is going to meet the same fate as Jupiter's. That is, it's going to be completely shattered."

"You...you broke Jupiter...Dynamis's beloved bey..." She started shaking in fury. "You...you MONSTER!" A gold aura erupted from her, her sapphire eyes becoming tinged with gold, just like when she battled Bao. However, this time, it was way more intense. The gold light around her formed a huge column in the sky, and she felt herself _changing. _ lavender hair grew a little and turned into a deep shade of purple, the strands tying themselves into a braid, and she gained a white and gold dress as well as black tights and indigo boots. A half-crown was set upon her head. _Well, I guess you true power wasn't quite unleashed yet, Starlight_ said.

"You will _pay _with what you did to my brother. I will win this. I WILL!" The gold aura became even brighter and even Kage backed away, fear present in his eyes. "What...what's happening to her? I don't like this! Quick, Special move, Mechano Blaster!" A cannon-like blast of silver energy was fired towards Starlight, who was glowing brighter than ever. Astri felt newfound power rising up in her. She had a slightly wild and demented smile on her face.

"Special move, Infinity Electro Star!"

"What?!" Kage exclaimed.

_Ooh, the more powerful replacement for Diving Starburst! This should be interesting! _Starlight commented.

Comet Starlight headed to the center of the stadium and started to spin in a tight circle, generating a column of gold energy. The gold energy then shot upwards and formed a four-point star in the sky, connected by the hidden stars. Kage stared at the massive star crackling with electrical energy above the stadium, gulping. "This is gonna hurt. A lot."

"SHOW THEM WHAT YOU CAN DO, STARLIGHT!" The bey was glowing so brightly that you could hardly see it's form, only a circle of bright gold light in the center of the stadium. The huge star descended from the sky and crashed into the stadium. There was a massive explosion of smoke, electric sparks and golden light. When the smoke cleared, a battered Werewolf was half-wedged in the ground just outside the stadium. Starlight was still spinning. The glow died down and it flew back to Astri's hand, sizzling and smoking. There was a flash of light and Astri returned to her normal self. "Well that was fun."

Astri waited for a few seconds for Starlight to stop spinning in her hand before running over to the door, pressing her bey into a bey-sized square slot. With a click, the door slid open and Astri ran out. "Later, Skia scum!" Then, she continued on her way. "What? Starlight healed itself?" The piece of it's fusion wheel that had previously been broken off was back. "I don't know. Anyway, that battle cost me precious time. I'll have to make up for it." She snapped out of her thoughts when she saw beys flying towards her.

"So they want a battle? I'll give them one! LET IT RIP!"

* * *

Yuki walked into a checkpoint. "I wonder who I'll be facing. Looks like no one's here yet." He inspected the bey scanner on the door, his eyes lighting up. "This is cutting-age technology! How did they make these?" He said in wonder. "Maybe it was bey recognition, or-" He was cut off by a voice behind him.

"Are you done babbling on about technology yet?" He spun around to see a girl walking through the entrance. She had glossy black hair tied in a fishtail braid, complete with ocean-blue highlights. She wore a long-sleeved blue shirt, a green skirt and navy shoes. "Uh, yeah, I'm done!"

The girl aimed her bey at the stadium. Yuki rushed to attach Mercury Anubis to his launcher. "What's your name? I'm-"

"I know, you're Yuki Mizusawa. A Legendary Blader. Why wouldn't I know you? Anyway, I'm Lyn and this is my bey, Cyclone Vaporeon," She said, holding up a bey that was in multiple different shades of blue. It had a twisted, skinny fusion wheel, a smooth circular energy ring and a wide performance tip.

"3!"

"2!"

"1!"

"Let it rip!"

Vaporeon spun steadily at the middle of the stadium while Anubis circled around restlessly. Finally, Yuki attacked, Anubis rushing recklessly into Vaporeon. However, it didn't do much damage. Vaporeon didn't budge at all. Yuki was shocked. "But how?"

"Cyclone Vaporeon's twisted fusion wheel enables the damaged surface area to be minimized!" She replied. "My Vaporeon is built for defense and stamina. But it's attack isn't bad, though!" She said, and the blue bey hit Anubis, knocking it back. Yuki gritted his teeth. Anubis and Vaporeon smashed into each other, with the attack-type Anubis gaining the upper hand. Yuki smirked. "How do you like that, Lyn?" The girl made a gesture that signaled "not bad".

Anubis continued it's onslaught of full-power attacks. However, Lyn stood there, not commanding Vaporeon to do anything. Yuki was growing increasingly annoyed. "Why aren't you counterattacking?!" He demanded. Lyn said nothing, but instead pointed at the stadium. Vaporeon's spin had hardly slowed, only wobbling ever so slightly despite the shower of blow that had been rained upon it. Anubis, on the hand, had lost stamina over time and it was wobbling more than Vaporeon.

Yuki's eyes widened. "Don't tell me... the-" Lyn interrupted his thoughts.

"That the broad energy ring and performance tip help to increase Vaporeon's stamina a lot?" She said sweetly, finishing his sentence. Yuki frowned. _She's a good blader. Now, if I can just find an opening to attack the spin track...that's it! _He was struck by a sudden brainwave. "Go, Anubis!" The light blue bey used its low center of gravity to dive underneath the fusion wheel and into the low unguarded part of the spin track. Vaporeon flew back.

Now, the two beys circled around each other until Lyn decided to call a move. "Now, Vaporeon!" The bey started to head towards Anubis. "Special move-" Yuki cut her off. "Not so fast! Special move, Randomizer! This move forces an opponent to use its weakest special move!" However, he didn't expect Lyn to be totally relaxed. "Thanks a lot, Yuki! You _totally helped me _and now you're going to pay for it!" she said.

"What?"

"I _was _going to use my weakest move! What if it was a support move, huh? You just made me use Ocean Veil!" The stadium was filled with water, and Vaporeon suddenly glowed a bright blue before dissolving. "It disappeared?" Vaporeon was nowhere to be seen, and Anubis was constantly being hit.

"Now Vaporeon! Whirlpool Blaster!" A concentrated whirlpool appeared and hit Anubis, causing its spin to decrease. "You see, Ocean Veil increases Vaporeon's power and gives it invisibility! Big mistake, _Yuki," _She taunted. Yuki growled at her. He was frantically trying to think of a way to stop the water. "Let's try this, Anubis! Special move, Vacuum Slash!" Lyn didn't like this, not one bit. She didn't like what was coming. Anubis zipped through the whirlpool which was consuming the stadium. This caused a rip in the water, and after a while, the water fizzled out and disappeared. A form rippled in the stadium, causing Anubis to attack it. The form flickered for a while before becoming fully solid. The glow around Vaporeon died down and it was revealed to be wobbling.

"Death Trident!" Anubis's bey spirit appeared, holding a spiky blue and black trident. It struck Vaporeon, causing it to almost fly out of the stadium. Lyn was in a tight spot. _Let me not use Randomizer in this battle again, _Yuki thought. Meanwhile, Lyn bit her lip, racking her brain to come up with ideas while Vaporeon took the hits. Even a good defense-type bey would break eventually. Vaporeon was now wobbling a lot now. Finally, Lyn raised her head.

"Special move, Discharge Wave!" A watery shock wave swept over Anubis, causing sparks to fly off its metal frame. Now, it's spin power was about the same as Vaporeon's. A smile crossed Yuki's face. "Say, Lyn, what do you say we end this battle right now?" The girl nodded.

"I'll have you know that the winner's going to be me, Legendary blader or not!" She said.

"We'll see about that! Anubis, Brave Impact!" Yuki retorted.

"Special move! Cyclone Vaporeon, Neptune Freeze!" Anubis glowed light blue and hurled itself into a pillar of swirling water that was surrounded by a frosty rainbow aurora. Through the water, Yuki could see Vaporeon's bey spirit for the first time. It was an elegant creature with four limbs and fin-like ears. It also had a white spiky fin around its head as well as a blue ridge down its back. It also had a sleek mermaid's tail.

"Don't give up, Anubis!" Yuki yelled, his light blue Legendary Aura flaring up around him. Lyn watched in amazement. "What is that?!"

There was a giant explosion that threw Lyn off her feet. When the smoke cleared, Vaporeon was stationary in the arena while Anubis was barely spinning. Yuki recalled his bey and looked down at the girl on the floor. "Aw man, I lost."

"Hey Lyn. Good battle," Yuki said, smiling. "You're definitely strong!" The girl nodded, shaking his hand. Then, Yuki ran forward, placing his bey on the scanner, unlocking the door. He ran out, waving to Lyn.

* * *

"A checkpoint!" Kenta cried. "So who's my opponent?" A figure emerged from the opposite end. He smiled. "Gingka!"

The Pegasus blader winked at him. "I knew we would meet. What do you say we make this battle memorable?" Kenta nodded firmly. "It is on!" They aimed their launchers at the stadium. "We finally get to battle Gingka! Why bother with the counting?"

"You know what, Kenta? You're right. Let it-" He started, waiting for his friend to finish the stadium.

"Rip!"

* * *

**I learnt not to piss Astri off. Or else you know what's going to happen.**

**Gingka: She's always angry.**

**Astri: I heard that! *Pulls out Starlight***

**Gingka: So you want a battle? *Battles***

**-5 minutes later, Gingka is on the way to the hospital-**

**Me: Anyway, I need to go create an OC.**

**Astri: YOU MEAN YOU HAVEN'T CREATED ALL OF THEM YET?! *Starts ranting***

**Me: Sheesh, I created his personality and bey. Now all I need is his name and appearance. Argh how I hate creating some OCs. I have been stuck on this one for a long time. :(**

**Faceless OC: Hi. I think you better get to creating me.**

**Me: *Facepalms* Tomorrow. Meanwhile critiques welcome and please review!**


	26. Chapter 26

**Me: Hi, here is a new chapter for ya. Bye. *Returns to room***

**Kenta: What just happened?**

**Hikaru: We are supposed to take care of this chapter because the author is busy.**

**Kenta: Busy with what?**

**Gingka: OC business or something like that.**

**Hikaru: Nyx does not own MFB and please enjoy.**

* * *

The two beys clashed headfirst, with Pegasus getting blown back. Gingka looked pleasantly surprised. "You've gotten stronger, Kenta! But not strong enough! Go!" The blue bey rushed forward and struck with an uppercut attack, causing Sagittario to be knocked into the air. Pegasus then scaled the stadium wall, launching itself upwards and attacking Sagittario again. The yellow bey landed back in the stadium only for Pegasus to strike multiple times. However, Kenta still smirked.

"You can't reach the fusion wheel!" He taunted. Saggitario dove downwards and attacked Pegasus. It then pushed it all the way to the back of the stadium and up the wall, until it seemed that Pegasus was going to get a stadium out. "No! Push back!" Gingka yelled. With some difficulty, his bey managed to stand its ground, glowing blue and forcing Sagittario of it. It had used up some energy while doing this, and was thus wobbling slightly.

Sagittario launched itself upwards just like Pegasus had done earlier. "Go for an attack from above!" Kenta cheered. However, at the last moment, Pegasus dodged, causing Sagittario to take some serious damage. "Ugh..." Kenta said. "You OK, Sagittario?" He asked. The bey was wobbling, but still spinning.

The two beys clashed over and over again. Surprisingly, now Pegasus rivaled Sagittario in terms of strength. Gingka sighed. "This isn't going anywhere, you know." Kenta nodded. "Well I'll just end it now, then! Special move, Diving Arrow!" The bey spun upwards and disappeared into the sky. "Watch out Pegasus!" Gingka called. A flaming bey was headed towards the stadium. Gingka winced and braced himself for the impact.

The field was engulfed by flames for a moment. Gingka could feel the heat actually radiating out from Sagittario. "Wow...you're good," Gingka admitted as the flames disappeared. Pegasus's spin was less steady now.

"Now it's my turn. Pegasus, Cosmic Tornado!" Gingka commanded as his bey moved around rapidly in a large circle as its attack power multiplied dramatically. Kenta gulped. "Uh oh." Pegasus-or rather the "multiple copies" of Pegasus- slammed full-force into Sagittario.

Sagittario was wobbling now as well. "You're good too Gingka. But I'm still going to win," Kenta commented. Sagittario counterattacked, and Pegasus gladly met the attack. "Oh yeah. This battle is getting _intense._ Exactly the way I like it," Kenta said, smiling.

Gingka nodded. "Too right, Kenta. I think I'll try my new special move. Galactic Orbit!" The Pegasus constellation appeared in the sky as Pegasus flew up and sped round Earth, going into orbit. It continued to increase its speed, and for a moment, it seemed like both of them were standing in a galaxy. Kenta was amazed and he had a starstruck expression on his face. "This is so beautiful!" He looked around before his eyes finally rested on what looked like a bright blue ring. "Is that...Pegasus?" The blue bey was going so fast only a blue streak could be seen. Pegasus then converted the streak behind it to energy, sending it flying downwards.

"Oh no! Sagittario!" Kenta yelled. His bey's spin now had a significant decrease. _Not good. If I don't do something, soon then I'm doomed._ "You're not the only one with a new move! Go now! Pyre Flare!" He shouted to his bey. His yellow bey traveled towards the center of the arena, spinning. The air around it heated up and formed small rings of fire. The rings then merged together to become a huge ball of flames that expanded around Sagittario, flaring up and swallowing the stadium. "Whoa," Was all Gingka managed to get out at the sight of the impressive fire. It started to grow and increase in intensity, Pegasus's spin steadily decreasing.

Finally, the ball fizzled out, revealing a Pegasus that was barely spinning. Gingka and Kenta grinned simultaneously. They knew that the last move would end it. "The victor will be me!" Gingka proclaimed. "No, it'll be me!" Kenta argued back.

"Pegasus, special move! Astral Meteor!" Gingka cried, becoming engulfed in blue. Pegasus started glowing as well.

"Oh yeah? Special move, Sagittario! Arrow Blaze!" Kenta replied, his yellow Legendary Blader surrounding both him and Sagittario.

Pegasus summoned a blast of energy that was released into he sky, rising all the way into the universe. It absorbed the energy there before a dark blue shape in the form of a meteor was formed. The meteor hummed with energy as it made its quick descent onto Earth. However, Kenta wasn't deterred at all.

Sagittario had fired a huge arrow of flames towards Gingka, the air breaking around it as it neared the bey. But this wasn't just an _ordinary_ arrow- if you could even call an arrow that was made out of fire ordinary, that is. This arrow was _explosive._

The two special moves collided and caused a massive explosion. Smoke and dust flew up around the field, causing both bladers to shield their faces. Then, everything suddenly changed.

Gingka and Kenta watched in alarm as the explosion was blew away by three blinding red beams. Both Sagittario and Pegasus were quickly blown away into the ground next to the stadium. They walked forward to pick their beys up, gasping at the bey in the arena that had caused all of this. It was pulsing with magenta energy. The bey itself was dark pink. The bey flew back to a figure in the tree hanging nearby. "Orion! Chris?!"

There was a rustle of leaves as the teen lightly jumped down, landing a little shakily on one foot. He shot a glance at Gingka before pressing his bey into the scanner, running out.

"What just happened?"

* * *

Yu ran into a checkpoint, seeing his opponent had already arrived. He looked a lot like someone Astri had described- Kaiian or, well, _something_ like that. He looked really creepy. He had spiky apple green hair, some of it partially covering one eye. He had tan skin and pale amber-coloured eyes. However, it seemed that his outfit had changed since last time.

He had on a long-sleeved black shirt with a device attached to his arm. It was some sort of tracker and recorder. Probably to send some information back to that nasty Skia headquarters. Well, he wouldn't let that happen? Also, what was with that light translucent orange glass fixed over one eye? Was it like a computer of some sorts?

He fixed Libra to his launcher. "Well, Mr Evil Person, care to get started? The other teen rolled his eyes and held up his own launcher by response. "Whatever, _little boy."_ Yu was furious. He hated that nickname. "I'm not little! I am 12 for goodness sake!" He yelled at Kaiian who was smirking at seeing him all riled up even before the battle, "Yeah? Well, I'm seven years older than you so why not just shut up so we can start already," He said. Yu had a determined expression on his face. _Oh, he is so going down!_

"Whatever! I hate you already even though we've known each other for two minutes!"

"I told you to shut up, little boy. 3!"

"Ugh, you are NOT- 2!"

"1!" Kaiian shouted gleefully. _Now I'm able to record Libra's data. _

"Let it rip!"

Yu took a deep breath. _Calm down. It's only going to make him happy if he sees me all worked up._ Being the attack type, Destruction Chimera closed in for an attack almost as soon as it landed, unbalancing Libra. Even Yu was jolted by that. "That was unexpected," He commented, earning a smug smile from his opponent. His opponent gave him no time to recover, immediately hitting him again and again. Yu shifted his ultra-sharp senses into Level Two, searching for an opening.

When Kaiian was getting a little cocky, he let his bey slip up just the tiniest bit. It was just by a few millimeters, yet Yu was able to see it with his freakish eyesight and computer-like brain. "Now Libra! Sonic wave!" A concentrated n sound wave was released from the lime-coloured bey, causing it to move back. "All right Libra! Sonic Buster!"

_What do I do?!_ Kaiian thought frantically as the ground turned into sand, causing his bey to gradually sink into the soft earth. Yu glared at him. "If you can't even counter this simple move, then there will be no pride in beating you!" He complained. He was _not_ about to lose to a little kid. _That's it!_ He smirked. "OK, little boy, I give you some credit. You're decent. But maybe then I'll have some pride in defeating _you!_ Go now, Wing Mode!"

Yu looked on in amazement as Chimera's performance tip retracted slightly. Now, it was hovering _just_ above the surface, enabling it to evade the bumpy surface. "Attack now!" Chimera's bey spirit appeared, the silver and green chimera that roared. It sank its razor-sharp fangs into Libra. "Argh!" Even Libra, one of the best stamina types around, took some damage from the forceful attack. It was wobbling slightly now. "Oh no! He is good!" Yu growled.

"Told ya! One more time!" Kaiian said, falling into a comfortable rhythm, Chimera speeding towards it again. "But I'm prepared for those types of attacks again! I won't be tricked twice!" Said Yu. "Go Libra!" Sonic Shield!" A green shield formed around Libra, causing the other silver bey to bounce off. "This is annoying..." Kaiian said.

"Now Libra! Attack with Sonic Wave!" A stream of concentrated sound energy hit Chimera repeatedly in the spin track-it's weak spot. Now the bey wasn't spinning so steadily. "Gah!"

"Libra is spinning less steadily than it should be...don't tell me, the snake heads do extra damage?" Yu exclaimed. "Whatever! I have to focus on this battle!" Libra smashed hard into Chimera, sending it back. Kaiian's eyes hardened. "Special move! Whirlwind Savage!" A huge whirlwind shook the stadium. _Oh, god, that is one heck of an attack._ "Brace yourself, Libra! Defense mode!" When the wind finally cleared, Libra was revealed to have a thicker fusion wheel and a piece of rubber over the spin track.

Kaiian was speechless. "How...?"

"Special move! Final Infernal Vortex!" A huge pillar of green and gold light rose up, sucking Chimera in. With a satisfying high-pitched ring, the light dimmed down and Chimera was left wobbling in the stadium. "That sucked for you!"

Kaiian's computer processed the information. _Kikoeru Libra, a stamina type. A fusion wheel that can quickly expand or contract for mode changes. The performance tip is free-rotating, giving it really good stamina. But like all beys, this bey has a weak spot... That's it!_ "Go now! Special move, Toxic Jab!" Chimera appeared, it's two snake heads shooting a thin streak of purple at Libra. Yu frowned. What type of moves was _that?_

_OK then. Level 3 for my senses._ This was the second highest level, and he could pretty much sense almost anything now. He focused on Libra, a mental image of it popping up in his head. The weird thing was, Libra's spin seemed to decrease by 0.024% every second. _But why?!_ Then, he gasped, his eyes widened. "Poison! It's poison, isn't it?" Kaiian slowly nodded, his smile widening. Yu felt a faint memory being brought up. _Poison..._

* * *

_It was a dark night and all was quiet. Two bladers stood on the opposite ends of the stadium. One was Yu, a boy with spiky gold hair, emerald eyes, and a long-sleeved white shirt and pants. His face was scared. On the other side was a tall skinny boy with snakelike movements, red hair that covered his eyes, Reiji. _

_Everything was at stake here. Yu was battling for freedom. His escape from the Dark Nebula. But could he win against Dark Nebula's second best? The situation wasn't looking so bright for Yu. But he had to try._

_Reiji's forte was deception._

_He tricked Yu into thinking there wasn't anything special about him, then struck while he let his guard down. Yu could still feel the poison coursing through his precious bey._

_Libra was badly damaged, tiny jagged metal flying everywhere as Serpent continued its onslaught of attacks. Yu's was unable to do anything. He felt tears welling up in his eyes. "Please...please stop this!" Yu begged, but Reiji just let out a creepy smile and ignored him._

_Only one option left then. "LIBRA! INFERNAL BLAST!" There was a beam of blinding green light. When the attack faded, Yu was nowhere to be seen, having escaped under the cover of light. All that remained was the stadium and shards of Libra's fusion wheel, energy ring and spin track._

* * *

"AH!" Yu screamed. Kaiian smirked. "Like it? Toxic Jab brings back some bad memories." _I-Ignore him! I'm much stronger now! I have an evolved bey- I-I'm an Ourano Blader! I can do this! All I need is to set my senses to level four..._ Now he could here the tiniest bit of sound, like 0.0000... Oh, forget it. "Libra! I believe in you! GAH!" His lime Ourano blader aura flared up, and Libra suddenly started to spin faster. Kaiian scowled. "I won't lose either!"

A silver aura surrounded him and his eyes narrowed. "I'm finishing this now! Chimera! Devil Crusher!" Silver and black chains shot out of Chimera's bey spirit, merging together into one black and silver whip, about to be brought down on Libra.

"Go Libra! Tip the scales! New Special move!" Yu said happily. _According to my calculations, it will take 12.84 seconds to reach full power. Libra can definitely hold on for that long. _"Libra! Angel's Judgment!" A pure white beam of energy erupted from the sky. Exactly 12.84 seconds later, it had a drastic increase of power. There was a unpleasant hissing sound as the whip broke, causing Chimera to be engulfed in white light in the shape of an angel.

Chimera flew out of the stadium while Libra was barely spinning.

"Hm," Yu said as he caught his bey and scanned it, running out. "Don't mess with me."

* * *

**Me: I'm back.**

**Gingka: So where were you?**

**Me: OC business. I told you.**

**Kyoya: So have you created your OC?**

**Me: Good news, yes. Oh it's 3.14 now! PI! YAY! Um, bad news...I miscounted the number of Ourano Bladers. Now I have to make another OC.**

**Gingka: Have you?**

**Me: No...I can't come up with any ideas. I could think up some, but I can't. I have been thinking the entire night. So I am going to let you readers submit 1 OC (male). Here's the OC form :)**

**Name:**

**Age:**

**Appearance:**

**Morality:**

**Personality:**

**Physique:**

**Bey:**

**Special moves: (Maximum four)**

**Aura:**

**Trivia:**

**I am actually accepting an OC! Yeah! Send them by PM and hope you enjoyed this chapter. So as always, critiques welcome and please review!**


	27. Chapter 27

**HI HERE'S A NEW CHAPTER FOR ALL OF YOU AND YEAH! WHEE! YAY!**

**Gingka: Y-You're hyper?**

**Me: Just got back exam results!  
**

**Yuki: I presume you did well?**

**Me: TOP IN SCHOOL! ANYWAY! HOPE YOU ENJOY THIS CHAPTER, IT MAINLY FOCUSES ON DYNAMIS! *Faints from hyperness***

* * *

A boy with lavender hair and blue eyes walked along one of the paths, his bey destroying any competition behind it. There was no real purpose for him to be in the competition. It was just for a little taste of the outside world again. So it didn't matter if he won this competition.

He casually strolled up the path, his bey beside him. He smirked to himself as yet another bey and blader was sent flying. _I hope I run into one of them. I'll be able to get sweet revenge. Hm? _Another few beys sped right at him but he easily blew all of them away. He ignored the whispers aimed his way. He didn't care about those _lies. _He was empty, so thoroughly broken that there was absolutely no way to fix him again. He was like a robot, only loyal to those who treated him fairly.

He wore jet black robes, black pants and boots, staring blankly at the ones who tried to ask him questions. How did he become like this? He actually didn't know any more. The only ones that knew were those back at the Headquarters, those who had done this to him. His fingers gingerly fingered the gold pendant around his neck. Hades Curse. Wasn't he supposed to hate it for making him turn against those he cared for? Wrong.

He actually should have thanked that pendant for clarifying exactly why he was doing this. The memories in his mind were crystal clear. The curse just amplified the feelings of negativity. It didn't make him turn on anyone he liked. Why it was a curse, that was a mystery that he would figure out another time.

* * *

Corisande pressed the button for a needle to drive itself into her son's skin. It was more expensive, but she just couldn't risk it anymore. She would be using more electricity for the final- and most important- round, and she would most probably be pushing his brain's limits. _I can't slip up. Not like the last time... _

She remembered Stage Three. Maybe she liked seeing Dynamis relive those fake memories that she had so carefully created to torture him. She liked _recreating _him that way. He had already turned against his former friends, allies and even family. That was good. It gave him a purpose to do his job, and he would carry it out with so much hatred, she expected success nearly every time. But there was a huge problem now, one that needed to be corrected.

Dynamis had now hated _her _as well. He would still remember all of the torture she had done to him, and there wasn't a good reason why he would obey her. So she needed to toy with his memories some more, until he became an opposite of himself, trusting all the people he had hated once. Seeing her son imprisoned in that pillar at first, when he was first captured, she had felt a dull, guilty stab of pain in her heart in torturing someone close to her. But now, her heart had hardened. _Why are you feeling this way? _She had asked herself when they were at the second stage. _You are merely helping him become a better, perfect version of himself. Hades Curse? Now, with the power of science, it doesn't necessarily have to be a flaw..._

She looked at the prototype of the detailed gold pendant on the screen. That was just for testing. There was a picture of it on the screen, as well as the cursed pieces and ruby themselves that the Skia organization had managed to salvage from Nemesis's shrine. If Hades Curse could be stabilized by altering his memories, then it would have been even more of an asset then they imagined _He's waking up, _she noted as she noticed his eyes slowly slide open.

He opened his eyes, his mind still in a jumble from all the electric shocks given to him. However, he managed to swiftly regain himself. He let out a hate-filled hiss towards her, his eyes radiating fury and aggression. She smirked at him. _Hate me all you want now. It won't matter in the end. I'll make sure you adore me!_

She pressed another button which lowered the head shackle-like device onto Dynamis's head, ignoring the glare he sent towards her. "Oh, don't worry, _Dynamis," _she assured. "You'll have no recollection of this by the time I'm done with you." The boy didn't struggle; he knew it was futile. Instead he closed his eyes. _Is it true? But then...won't she hurt me again? I really have no idea. Nothing makes sense in this world anymore._

He watched in horror as her finger hovered over the "ON" button for a few seconds before pressing it. The shackle blinked to life, and it hummed with electricity. _No, please, not that again! _Corisande was searching for the list of memories she had made changes to. She decided to start with a certain one. Electricity flowed through Dynamis's brain and he shuddered with pain at the painful jolt. Black and white images flashed in front of him, just like the last time.

* * *

_Ten-year-old Dynamis collapsed on the floor. After a day of hiding from his sister and having taken a harsh beating from his father, he was exhausted. He wanted to just lie here, on the cold marble tiles and die. His life had no meaning anyway. He had just accepted the pendant containing Hades Curse, and it was sealed beneath his robes. The whispers still echoed in his mind, telling him to destroy everyone that had hurt him. They deserved it._

_It took all of his willpower to resist doing that. He felt scared and disliked his family, but the curse made it seem like they were out to kill him. Which, actually, maybe they were. But he wasn't the type for violence. Usually, he would just silently endure the torture delivered to him. His future was bleak, he could see no light in it. Even the stars didn't give him any answers. It was like they too knew that there was no hope for him. _

_Even the stars hate me, he thought sadly. Only one person was nice to him. A woman with dark brown hair, sapphire eyes, naturally tanned skin and a wide smile on her face. His mother, Gracia. She was the one person who was nice to him._

_He smiled softly as he felt a pair of arms wrap around him. He looked up to see those sparkling blue eyes. "Mum?" He asked. She said nothing, but frowned as she checked on his injuries. "Who did it today?" She asked with a sigh. "Both," He replied. She carried him into his room, tending to his injuries gently. He snuggled into her arms as she ruffled his hair. She had even managed to smuggle one of Astri's plush toys into the room as some source of comfort. _

_He hugged the teddy bear tightly to his chest as his mother smiled. "I'll have a word with your father tonight. But he's not going to listen to me," She sighed. Gracia was about to leave the room when her son called for her._

_"Mum?" She turned back to her son._

_"Sing?" He asked hopefully, his eyes both sad and hopeful. She nodded and opened her mouth, her tone soft and soothing._

_"Hush now, quiet now,"_

_"It's time to lay your sleepy head,"_

_"Hush, now, quiet now,"_

_"It's time to go to bed..." She trailed off to see her son fast asleep on the bed, his breathing peaceful and his eyes closed. She gently gave him a kiss on the forehead. "Goodnight, sweetheart."_

* * *

Corisande saw her son showing a weak, half-hearted attempt to struggle through the fake memory. However, he knew what had happened the last time; pain. Intense pain. His face contorted with the strain of trying, but it wasn't any use. Corisande carefully upped the electricity. He screamed, but no sound came out. After a while, Dynamis blinked in confusion. He was meant to be confused. After all, why would the same mother who cared for him be doing this to him now?

"It's true...it just has to...but I don't understand...why are you doing this to me?"

Corisande said nothing, she just allowed herself a small, self-satisfied smile before moving on with her list. Memory number two. She pressed the button. Dynamis said nothing, he just accepted the current that attacked his brain. The migraine intensified, but so what? Pain was a daily part of his life now. Heck, it would be strange, really strange if he spent any waking moments without pain. Even in sleep, his only refuge now, the nightmares of his sister, his father, the _curse, _they continued.

"I hope you're ready for this," Was all Corisande said, not showing a trace of sympathy for her son.

* * *

_"Good riddance to him," Dynamis's father said, an unnaturally wide smile on his face. "Finally! The day has come where he will be temple guardian and we can all move out. Do you know the torture of staying with him for twelve years?" His mother scowled at him, before glancing over at Dynamis. The boy seemed distracted, weighed down by the heavy responsibilities of guarding the temple. He was also a little sad that no one would be able to stay with him._

_She walked over to the boy. "Dynamis?" Her son didn't seem to hear her. "Dynamis!" Her boy started and jerked his head back and looked at his mother. "Mum?" His features became a relaxed mask, his eyes forcing the negative emotions back so that he looked almost emotionless._

_"You must be scared," She said. The boy sighed._

_"Aren't I always scared? What's the difference?" He mumbled, making his mother hug him gently._

_The next words she whispered into his ear was perhaps the most comforting. "I'll try to visit sometime, but it's not going to be easy. I'll try, OK?" He nodded and burrowed into his mother's embrace, trying to cling on to the small fragments of happiness left before his family left. His mother's eyes saddened when she heard the passive voice he spoke in next. It reflected on how poor his father had raised him. She tried not to stare at the almost-faded bruises on his arms._

_"Between you and me, I'm actually, regrettably looking forward to this day. No more living nightmares."_

_"Oh, Dynamis..."_

* * *

"How was that?" Corisande asked. There was no response from the boy, who gritted his teeth in pain. He was even more confused right now. His heartbeat had increased rapidly but almost as suddenly as it had increased, it dipped down to its usual heart rate again.

"Next," Corisande said. Now_ this, _this would certainly be interesting. She was so close. This one, and a few more smaller memories, and then the process would be completed. "If you are...showing me...the truth...then why...why a-are you...doing this..." Dynamis asked in between painful breaths.

Corisande merely ignored the situation and continued on.

_Dynamis went about his duties in the temple quietly. His physical scars had long faded, but the mental scars would still remain. And then there was that event with Nemesis. People who he thought were friends were actually...enemies. Just shows that you can't trust them. Even his mother, who made a promise to try to come someday- who was that standing at the entrance of the temple? The one with navy hair and striking cyan eyes? But those eyes had a...resemblance to..._

* * *

_"Mum!" He ran forward, throwing his arms around her. His mother hugged him back. "Oh Dynamis! You've grown so much!" It was true. Dynamis was now even taller than his mother. _

_"But why are you like...this?" He asked, gesturing to her newly coloured hair and eyes. She shrugged. "Listen Dynamis. Your father and your sister...they've chased me out. I had to do this and find a new name...Corisande. I've come here to bring you to my friends, where you'll be safe."_

_"B-but I'm temple-"_

_"It's only for a while, until I find a way."_

_"Your friends?"_

_"Yes, my friends. They'll take care of you, at least until I manage to find a way to keep you safe from your family and... enemies."_

_"If you say so..." Dynamis trailed off, following his mother out of his temple._

* * *

"ARGH!" Dynamis shouted in pain. He didn't want to feel pain any more, so the sooner he admitted, the sooner he would be freed from the pain. "ALRIGHT IT'S TRUE! JUST STOP IT!" He screamed, and almost instantly, the electricity stopped.

Corisande smiled. "Now that's a good boy." She showed him some other memories of her spending time with him at the temple, and then deleted the entire torture process from his mind using a special medicine. Finally, he was let out of the tube. He was shaky on his feet, but he was completely brainwashed. His cold blue eyes stared straight into Corisande's.

The woman smirked to herself. _It's finally done! I've waited so long for this! _Dynamis looked emotionless. "Your first mission is to feel the outdoors again. Get used to it."

"Yes...Corisande. I understand," Dynamis said. "And your former friends and your sister is going to be there." She saw anger build up in his eyes but she snapped her fingers. "You may use your anger to fuel you on your missions, but I expect you to remain collected and calm while doing them."

"Yes."

"And here. Two things for you," She said. She brought over the reconstructed pendant that contained Hades Curse. Wordlessly, the teen slipped it over his head. A deep black colour quickly spread over his robes. She placed the other item in his palm. "Your new bey."

The boy looked at the purple, black and dark pink bey in his hand before his fingers curled around it. "It certainly looks interesting."

"Now go."

"Understood."

* * *

Dynamis was still trying to understand why there was a long, empty gap in his memories. It didn't matter, though. His master, no, _mother, _had told him to feel the outdoors again, and he would do it. Without any distractions. Oh, he had reached a checkpoint. OK. He would crush the opponent.

As he saw the blader at the other end of the arena, he smirked slightly. The blader's eyes was wide and she stared at me like I couldn't be real. Hm. This would be fun. And I could test out my recreated bey too. Two birds with one stone.

And sweet revenge was in order.

* * *

**Dynamis has crossed over to the dark side. MWAHAHAHAH!  
**

**Dynamis: -.- Why?!**

**Me: It's called plot. Oh and I had an entire giant chocolate sundae just now completed with whipped cream and chocolate fudge~ so I am on a sugar rush for the first time.**

**Kyoya: Annoying-**

**Me: *Launches my bey at him* **

**Kyoya: Why do you have a bey?**

**Me: I do have a bey of my own, but for this, I stole Vulcan Horuseus and Phantom Orion! This is Vulcan Orion!  
**

**Nile and Chris: GIVE THEM BACK!  
**

**Me: Do it first.**

**Nile and Chris: Nyx Doesn't own MFB...**

**Me: Good. *Hands beys over* Critiques welcome and please review!**


	28. Chapter 28

**Me: *Is hugging Chris* So sorry I haven't updated. I was busy and then I had a sleepover yesterday.**

**Chris: WILL YOU STOP HUGGING ME!  
**

**Me: *Pouts* But I need someone to hug! Plus you're a ninja!**

**Chris: Go hug someone else. And I am NOT a ninja.**

**Me: *Hugs him tighter* You are a ninja! Just watch episode 25 of Metal Fury! And there's no one else in the room.**

**Chris:Will you let me go if I say the disclaimer?**

**Me: *Smiles* OK! I guess I can go find Dynamis!**

**Chris: NyxAbsol does not own MFB.**

**Me: ENJOY! :)**

* * *

Astri stared in shock at the blader standing at the opposite end of the arena. _How-How did it happen?! _She was half confused and half elated at the sight of her brother. His sapphire eyes had an unreadable expression and his robes were black. The gold pendant of Hades Curse rested upon his neck for _some reason. _She couldn't resist the urge any longer. She ran up to her brother.

"Dynamis! How are you out? Are you OK? Why are you wearing that pendant? What did they-"

She was cut off as Dynamis, surprisingly strong, flung her to the ground, causing her to wince in pain. The Dynamis she knew was always gentle and mild. He would never do this. What had gotten into him. She stared into his sapphire eyes, trying to look for an answer, but all she found was cold hatred. He didn't say anything; instead, he raised his launcher. It was jet black with indigo highlights. Astri scrambled to take her place at the other end of the bey stadium. "Dynamis-"

"Shut up," The lavender haired blader told her harshly,speaking for the first time, his eyes seeming to flash. Astri was actually _intimidated _by him. She needed to find out what had gone wrong. If her mother had hurt him, if she had...Astri growled in anger. That jerk must have had done something bad to make him this way. However, as much as she wanted to find out the truth, doubt filled her mind. Dynamis was the key of the fifteen Ourano bladers. She had heard stories from her father that the "key" was extremely strong. Perhaps even stronger than all fourteen Ourano Bladers combined, although that had never been put to the test.

All she could do was _hope._

She bit her lip and retook her place at the other end, fixing Starlight to her metallic gold launcher. She took a closer look at Dynamis's new bey. It was mainly a dark violet. It's fusion wheel was coloured black with thick boysenberry magenta strips. The spin track was indigo and the energy ring was black and silver. It's performance tip was a broad magenta tip with three paper-thin metal feathers that stuck out to the side. _What bey is that? Even I can't tell, _Astri thought.

"Dynamis, what happened to you?" She pleaded with her brother to answer. He said nothing. Instead, he stared coolly at the arena, his gaze focused, his eyes now not betraying a trace of emotion. _I have no choice, _Astri thought, _I have to try. For his sake. _She adjusted her launcher to aim at the stadium.

"3," Dynamis said in a monotonous voice. _I am going to win against her no matter what. She was part of the "family" who ruined my life._

"2..." Astri muttered, uncertainty creeping into her voice.

"1," Both of them said together. Their hands tightened around their launchers and they got ready.

"Let it rip!" Astri thought that she could have an advantage, Dynamis having been captured, _ugh, _and been locked up for so long. She was the one with more experience. Besides, Dynamis's blading skills should have been a little rusty- the problem was, it wasn't rusty at all. He bladed with as much, no, much more skill than usual. She observed the bey steadily spinning in the arena, without a single wobble. Starlight smashed hard into it, but the bey wouldn't budge.

Astri frowned. "It _looks _like Jupiter, but..." She trailed off as this new "Jupiter" counterattacked by slamming into it with insane power. With just one attack, Starlight had been sent flying, crashing hard into the wall of the stadium and wobbling. "I didn't recall it being _this _strong!" She tried hitting Jupiter again but this time it was blown away quickly. "What is that bey?! It's power is off the charts!" She yelled. Dynamis simply smirked.

"And I thought you would give me a good fight. Satanic Jupiter, Attack mode!" The thick fusion wheel shifted apart, revealing several black scythe-like blades of metal that fanned out around Jupiter, each tipped with razor-sharp dark magenta blades. The metal coating over the feathers retracted into the performance tip, causing the feathers to instead be made out of some light but extremely hard material. With an added burst of speed, it smashed into Starlight again, causing its speed to decrease a lot.

Meanwhile, Starlight was shocked. _How can he be so strong?! _It asked frantically. _What can we do to beat him?_

Astri tried to give a positive reply. _Just try. _Then, she turned back to the battle where Starlight was getting crushed by Satanic Jupiter. "The six scythe-knife structures on Jupiter multiply its attack power by a lot, causing it to have drastic effects on my Comet Starlight. Plus, you can further increase your attack power by using those feathers to slice through the air, doubling Jupiter's speed. However..." Starlight aimed for Jupiter's spin track. She smiled as it landed a direct hit. That smile quickly dissolved when she noticed that Jupiter hadn't slowed in the slightest bit. "But how?!" She exclaimed. Starlight was seriously in trouble right now and she didn't know how crazy this Jupiter was.

"Satanic Jupiter's broad performance tip not only helps for stamina, but it also contains a small gear that allows the performance tip to rotate independently. The gear will not stop turning, thus enabling Jupiter to have near-infinite stamina," Dynamis explained as his bey smashed hard into Starlight again.

_Smart technique, _Starlight said sarcastically. _You have any real ideas?_

_It's the only option and I need you to help me. _She said. Luckily, her bey understood and she felt power flaring up inside her. A gold pillar of light formed around her. Her eyes had its gold tinge and her lavender hair darkened, the strands flying up and magically twisting themselves into a braid. Her gray shirt and indigo jeans shimmered and changed to become a gold and white outfit that reached mid-thigh. She had on her black tights that stopped just above her knees and long indigo boots. A half crown appeared and was braided into her hair.

"Stop it Dynamis! Why are you acting like this?" She screamed at her brother, who didn't seem fazed by her transformation. Instead, he glared at her. Even with her new maximum power, she suddenly felt very small and helpless under his unforgiving gaze.

"Why?" He said, his voice dangerously low.

"WHY?" Jupiter's spin speed suddenly started to increase rapidly, a purple tornado being generated with just its spin. Astri flinched as he shouted at her. His pupils shrunk and gained a crazed look in them, causing Astri to back away in fear.

"YOU RUINED MY LIFE!" The tornado grew in size and power as Jupiter started spinning faster. "YOU TREAT ME LIKE THIS, AND YOU EXPECT ME TO _FORGIVE _YOU? I'LL CRUSH YOU SO COMPLETELY YOU'LL REGRET EVER BATTLING ME!"

A dark purple, almost black aura surrounded him-the work of Hades Curse strengthening his negative feelings. Astri growled. _Well, that didn't work, _Starlight commented dryly. _So what now?_

_Shut up, _Astri snapped mentally, _and let me handle this! _"Special move! Infinity Electro Star!" The massive four-point star crackling with electricity formed in the air as Starlight spun wildly in a tight circle, shooting energy towards the sky. Then, the star began its quick descent onto the stadium. However, Dynamis didn't seem to be bothered at all. The light purple tornado suddenly turned an extremely dark purple, the wind mixing with dark energy.

"JUPITER! DESTROY HER!" A swirling purple column of energy erupted, consuming the entire stadium and meeting the golden electric star. Astri shielded herself from the light. "U-Ugh! Dynamis!" She yelled, as the teenage boy on the other side stood calmly, despite having been so demented just now. The ferocious wind buffeted him and the ground shook with the violent impact of the two moves clashing, but he hardly blinked.

"W-What have you become?" Astri asked sadly, tears spilling from her eyes.

* * *

Chris swept ten beys away easily before a light caught his eye. A huge amount of energy radiated from a checkpoint at the opposite path, and he saw an indigo pillar of dark power appear in the sky. The blond teen was shocked.

"What is that?" He asked himself as Orion flew back to his hand.

_Nothing important, _he told himself, _concentrate. You need to reach the top to win. _

He stepped into a checkpoint. "So who's my opponent?" He asked. Nobody was here yet, so he decided to lounge on a nearby tree, checking Orion's condition. Apart from a few minor scratches and scrapes on his bey's fusion wheel, along with a very worn energy ring, it was still able to battle. Finally, he saw a lone figure emerge from the doorway. Smirking to himself, he jumped down, landing on the opposite end. His eyes widened when he saw his opponent, who looked equally surprised.

"Chris?!"

* * *

Astri screamed as she saw multiple fine crack lines appear on her bey and small pieces of her energy ring and fusion wheel break off. "No! STARLIGHT!" There was an explosion that caused her to be blown away and the stadium itself cracked and caved in. Her badly damaged bey lay wedged in between two pieces of rubble while Jupiter still continued its steady spin, the last wisps of wind dying down around it. Dynamis still had traces of dark energy surrounding his body as he called back his bey.

"Hm," He said, not giving her a second glance as he walked out of the checkpoint. Astri lay on the ground, back to normal, her body aching badly. Her clothes had been torn and she had multiple grazes from Dynamis's out-of-control attacking frenzy. She couldn't find the strength to get back up again.

* * *

_Astri ran up to Chris, noting that he had taken off his cast. His ankle had healed slightly, but it hadn't mended yet. The teenage girl was hoping to talk some sense into him. _

_"Chris-" She started. The blond cut her off._

_"I'll see you at the top if you make it, Astri," He stated before disappearing in one swift motion. He was insanely quick, despite the fact that he had an injured foot. It must have been his blader-for-hire thing. Brushing the thought aside, she ran up the nearest path._

_She had vowed that she would reach the top so that she could battle Chris, get him to come back. She had made a silent promise that only he could understand. A promise not to let him down, that he would definitely see her at the top._

* * *

_I'm sorry, Chris..._

She then remembered another promise she had broken. She had promised herself that she would make sure Dynamis was saved, no matter what. She had let _him _down for failing to rescue him. And now he was like this...corrupted. And it was all because of her.

_I'm sorry, Dynamis..._

And then the world spun once more before everything went back.

She didn't notice the final tear slide down her cheek, landing on the ground to vaguely form the shape of two halves of a broken heart.

* * *

**Me: *Now hugging Dynamis* Sorry if the chapter was short. I hope you enjoyed it.**

**Dynamis: *Annoyed* Chris I feel your pain...**

**Chris: Agreed...**

**Me: And Dynamis is a psycho! Yay! :D**

**Dynamis: Why are you so happy about it?  
**

**Me: Cause you're evil! And don't complain! I made you epic!  
**

**Dynamis: Whatever...**

**Me: I forgot to mention this last chapter, but thanks shadowritergirl for the OC! :) **

**Chris: Since she's going to hug Dynamis to death, I might as well say it for her...critiques welcome and please review.**


	29. Chapter 29

**Me: O.O *Is frozen***

**Kenta: ...Is...is she alive? *Pokes***

**Me: O.O**

**Ryuga: Let's hope she's not.**

**Kenta: *But you're not even in this fanfic***

**Ryuga: She's a fanfiction authoress, which means she's automatically evil.**

**Dynamis: I think its because of the level 100 Xerneas she received on Wonder Trade earlier...**

**Yuki: *Smiles* Anyway... Miss Nyx is sorry if the chapter sucks or is too short to your liking, but she still hope you enjoy it! **

* * *

Chris stared wide-eyed at the teenage girl at the opposite end of the arena. She was around nineteen, with long, straight dark russet hair and purplish-gray eyes. She had peachy skin and she wore a dark red jacket over a gray shirt, black skinny jeans and red sneakers.

"S...Sis? A-Ava?" He stammered out. The girl smiled back at him gently. "Chris."

His older sister, Ava, was the kindest person Chris had ever known. She had always been there for him when he was down, and he idolized her when he was younger. But what was she even doing here? When Chris had left to become a blader for hire, she didn't even own a bey. Did she get one or something? Chris brushed the thoughts aside. It didn't matter whether it was his sister. He would still win this battle. _And I made a promise to Astri._

He attached Orion to the launcher, aiming it at the stadium. "You ready?" He asked. In reply, Ava shook her head slowly, returning her bey to her pocket. She frowned as she assessed him. "Chris." When the blond raised an eyebrow, she continued. "I forfeit." Chris was shocked. "What?!"

"You heard me," She stated simply. "You're injured." _Darn it Ava! Why do you have to be so smart? _He rolled his eyes. "I don't care. I've been through worse. We're _battling," _He said firmly.

"No."

"Yes. And I thought you wanted your brother to be happy." He smirked as he said this.

"Your health is more important," She argued back, but the determination in her voice was already wavering as she started to finger her bey. When Chris crossed his arms and glared at her, using that _I'm-not-leaving-until-you-battle-me _look. Sighing, she pulled her red, orange and pink bey out. Her little brother could be extremely stubborn sometimes, and she hated that. She was always giving in to him in the end, no matter how hard she tried.

"3!" Chris said as Ava scrambled to get ready.

"2," She counted as she pointed her bey, Blazing Victini, towards the stadium.

"1!" Both of them shouted.

"Let it rip!" The two beys flew into the stadium, Orion circling around, looking for the chance to attack while Victini simply remained stationary in the middle of the stadium. Finally, Orion headed in, clashing with the red bey. Chris was surprised when Victini didn't fight back. He focused on the bey to see if Ava was using any tricks, but she wasn't. He attacked over and over again, causing Victini to weaken more and more with each hit. Then, he realized what his sister was doing. His features contorted into a scowl.

"Pull back!" He called, and the magenta bey headed away from Victini. "Ava, don't hold back because of a stupid injury!"

"It's not stupid. And I _am _battling, just like you asked me to," She replied in her usual gentle voice.

"Sis! You are going to use your full power, whether you like it or not!" He snapped. Orion glowed pink and sent Victini flying into the air. "So hurry up!" His sister shook her head, instead responding with "Did you know why I started blading?" At this question, Chris froze. He didn't. Orion also stopped its barrage of attacks. Victini finally attacked back with surprising strength, sending Orion back. The shape of its fusion wheel was extremely unique, causing air to make contact which produced heat, dealing even more damage to Chris's bey.

"I wanted to find you." Ava's voice cracked at this point, and Chris felt guilty. "I missed you so much when we left...so I decided, I would get a bey and go on a journey as well, so that I could make sure you were alright. You would be at a tournament somewhere, so I needed a bey." She bit her lip to keep the tears in her eyes from spilling. When Chris saw his sister look so sad because of him, he felt really, really guilty. He hated it when she looked this way; it was so different from the kind smile she often wore on her face.

Blazing Victini attacked Orion once more, causing it to be tossed into the air. It then struck with an uppercut attack. Chris's eyes filled with sadness when he saw the teen on the verge of tears. She was the only girl he really, genuinely cared about besides, well, Riley and um, _Astri..._

"I-I'm sorry-" He stammered out, but Ava cut him off, a look of understanding on her face.

"Don't be."

"But I-" He started.

"I was selfish." _Ava, selfish? That's as possible as, I don't know, winged rainbow unicorns soaring overhead. _"I didn't want you to go because I would miss you. You shouldn't be sorry, Chris." He hesitated for a moment and Orion paused in attacking.

"So to make it up, I'll battle." Victini started to glow multiple shades of red, orange and pink, much like the sunset around them- beautiful. "Victini is said to be a creature to represent victory from another dimension- ironic, 'cause I don't really care much about winning." It then clashed head-on with Orion. "But during this battle, I understood. Victory's not just about winning, it's also about the heated spirit and effort you put in to win. You wouldn't feel like it was a _real _victory if I didn't give it my all, didn't you?"

Shocked, Chris silently nodded. She had just summarized everything he felt.

"Ava?" He asked his big sister. He had never felt so small before. He felt like a little kid who was doing everything wrong. He had been causing others unhappiness- first Ava and Riley when he first left on a journey, then Gingka and the other legendary bladers when he joined up with Nemesis, and now Astri. It was all because of the choices he had made. "Do you think that my whole live has been wrong? Everywhere I go, I just bring everyone pain."

His sister looked at him with an unreadable expression in her eyes. She looked at him with those piercing purplish-gray eyes of hers for a long time before finally answering. "No. I don't think so. Everything happens for a reason-every choice you make, every path you follow..., it all has a purpose, doesn't it?" When her brother didn't reply, she continued. "You may have joined up with Nemesis, true, but eventually Gingka made you see what blader's spirit was. And when you left home, it was because you loved Beyblade. We weren't in the position to stop you."

"And we'll finish this now. Special move, Victory Boost!" Victini's bey spirit appeared- a creamy rabbit-like creature with large blue eyes. The top of its ears, crest, hands and feet were all a deep orange that seemed to shimmer and change colour every moment- dark pink, orange and red, sometimes all three colours at once. The orange "V" shape on the top of its ears glowed brightly, releasing a burst of pink and orange flames in the shape of a V.

Chris smiled sadly. _She still hasn't changed after all these years... _"Orion..." The bey glowed magenta it became cloaked with streaks of pink and red, the five points on its fusion wheel glowing. The constellation Orion appeared in the sky as the bey dived towards Victini.

There were multiple sparks as the beys clashed. Eventually, Orion glowed brighter and overpowered Victini, causing the stadium to light up in a display of pink, red and white lights. Blazing Victini landed next to Ava's feet while Orion flew back to Chris's hand.

"I lost." Ava said, without a hint of disappointment. She wasn't particularly skilled as a blader anyway. "Chris-" She was interrupted as her younger brother hugged her tightly, faint sobbing sounds coming from him. She was instantly alarmed. This was the _first _time she had seen him cry, which meant he was really depressed. Slowly, she returned the embrace. "I-I'm really sorry, Ava!" He said, snuggling into her chest just like he used to do when he was six.

"I told you, you didn't do anything wrong." She said as she pulled him closer to her.

* * *

**Me: And that's it for the chapter! :) I made Chris cry! Yay!**

**Chris: *Sulks in corner***

**Ryuga: *Is arguing with Yuki* WHY DID YOU HELP HER**

**Yuki: Um... B-Because she hasn't really tortured me before but I still get free food 'cause I'm a minor character...**

**Me: *Teleports Ryuga into the land of magical rainbows and fluffiness* If you haven't noticed, I have this random, very confusing story called Fairytale: Dreams. No idea when that's going to be updated...**

**Chris: I saw my name tagged there. That means I'm going to be tortured...**

**Me: No one can be sure! Besides I tagged Hyoma and OC as well... AND SORRY FOR THE POKEMON BEYS! *Starts to cry* I LIKE POKEMON! Um...Check out my art book on Wattpad (Just got a Wattpad account) Even though there's only random Pokemon there! My OCs will be posted there eventually though. I also changed the category from Hurt/Comfort to Tradegy; it fits the story more ^.^ Critiques welcome and please review! **


	30. Chapter 30

**I am back after SO LONG! I can explain this. My cousins came, we were busy, they left, I started randomly drawing, then I updated most of my other fics before this one-**

**Gingka: Just shut up and continue.**

**Me: *Puppy dog eyes* Please, Dynamis?**

**Dynamis: What do I get out of it?**

**Me: I won't annoy you for the rest of the chapter! :)**

**Dynamis: Sure! NyxAbsol does not own Metal Fight Beyblade, and she wants to say there will be an little plot twist in here. She hopes you enjoy it! **

**Chris: *Enters* I don't want to be annoyed now that Dynamis is free...*Glares***

**Me: Whatever! On with the chapter!**

* * *

The lavender haired girl sat up slowly, rubbing her sore head. She winced as small jolts of pain ran up her body. The stadium was wrecked, and so was her bey. Astri gasped. "What..."

Then, it all came rushing back to her, the memories of everything that had recently happened, the _pain..._

She clutched her nearly shattered bey and held it close to her chest, like it was the only thing that kept her from breaking. She had always thought that her friends, those who had been so painfully hurt, were pitiful. But now, she wondered... was it actually that way? She was hurting too, hurting just as much, hurting because she couldn't bear to see them like this. It seemed almost _worse_. She looked at the destruction around her, caused by her _brother._

He would never do anything like this. He must have been brainwashed. If he was brainwashed, then the old him was still in there...right? That crazed look in his eyes, the fury that he had outwardly displayed when he had gone off on a rampage. It was _scary. _She curled up into a ball and buried her face in her hands, her body finally giving way to all the pain and sorrow and the waves of sobs racking it over and over again, each new wave of tears bringing with them memories, the memories of _him._

"Dynamis..." She whimpered softly, her voice cracking halfway. "H-How did you get like this?" The darkness flowing from him was overwhelming, and even then she was sure that it was just a small portion of his full power. And Hades Curse...how on earth did he manage to get it? Wasn't it broken during the battle with Nemesis?

Starlight's voice floated back into her head and for once, Astri didn't try to push it away. _Hey, are you okay? _She asked gently, afraid to say anything more. She only received a tiny shake of her head in response. Astri finally lifted her head, her sapphire eyes glistening with tears. She wanted to be in her own world, where nothing was so _wrong _and _broken. _But when she opened her eyes again and left the world of comforting blackness, she was just greeted with harsh, cold reality.

"What should I do?" She asked out loud, utterly broken. Starlight warily answered her, not wanting to upset her friend any further.

_Um... Continue...? _She started, and Astri's eyes hardened into anger. She glared at no one in particular before her gaze dropped down to her bey, defeated. Multiple pieces of its fusion wheel had been sliced off, its performance tip was badly cracked, random other chunks of the bey missing. Several fine crack lines ran across Starlight's frame. "I couldn't even continue if I wanted to... Starlight has taken so much damage, and it can't repair itself like the other time with Kage..."

_Maybe you should just sit here and rest until the final battle. _Starlight commented. Astri mumbled something in reply along the lines of "OK..." But deep inside, she was worried. For both her friends and her brother. She broke the two promises that she had made, and she couldn't do anything about it.

* * *

Corisande observed the progress her group was making. Kage was doing OK besides the battle with Astri. Kaiian as well, though he was a little slower with his opponents and tended to play around with them. The other bladers weren't doing as well, but they could manage.

Dynamis in particular was being amazing. He defeated all beys that he came across within mere seconds; however, he seemed to take the competition more like a leisurely stroll, which was fine. It was meant to be like that anyway.

But Seth on the other hand...

She worriedly checked her watch. It was 8.26, almost 8.30. The device usually stationed at the Headquarters was with him, as it couldn't work over long distances. And there was a reason why Seth had a curfew and a locked room,

"Oh no..." She muttered. "I have the feeling we're going to lose a member..."

* * *

Chris raised an eyebrow as he reached a flat surface. "Well this was easier than I expected." He winced as he shifted and his ankle started hurting like crazy again. It was roughly 8.40, and it looked like he was first... _again._

"I really hate the waiting," He grumbled as he climbed up on a large rock to wait for his opponent. He saw explosions lighting up the sky at random checkpoints far from the mountain top. He sighed. It would probably take another half hour for the next blader to arrive.

Though, what exactly was that huge pillar of dark purple energy that he had witnessed? It seemed kind of familiar, yet strange. It was definitely more powerful than anything he had ever seen before. Maybe he would be battling _that _blader. He tried to move his foot again for what seemed like the millionth time but a wave of searing white-hot pain prevented that. He glared at his foot. "Stupid bone. Stupid Kaiian." Hopefully Kaiian was in this, so he could get his revenge.

Now _that _would certainly be rewarding. A faint, rare smile crept on his face as he got himself comfortable and settled down for the next half an hour.

* * *

A teenage girl smirked as four beys flew into the wall. Her glowing white and yellow bey returned to her hand. "That's what you get for messing with me. Later!" She walked out of the checkpoint, brushing some dirt off her clothes. She _hated _getting dirty.

She grinned to herself as she saw the mountain top not too far away. She would be there soon.

And maybe she would get to see her idol or crush this time. She looked forward to it.

Her bey pulsed slightly in her hand, as if happily encouraging her. She smiled. "Soon. Soon we'll be there." She took a sip of water from the bottle strapped around her neck. She caught her breath before climbing the next tree. Trying not to get any mud on her gloves, she scaled down slowly. _Maybe it wasn't such a good idea to enter this after all. _

"Phew. You're good, Riley." Bao said as Forest Roe charged in for yet another attack. "Whatever. Solid Iron Wall!" Roe bounced off. Riley scowled. "You're good too!"

Roe charged in for another attack, but instead of being flung away again, it battled against Hades Crown's wall, losing its spin gradually. Bao snorted. "Please. The solid iron wall is unbreakable. You just end up losing your stamina. Riley, you really need to improve your technique. Looks like its going to be another easy win for- WHA!?" He was cut off as Forest Roe smashed through the wall using sheer force. The redhead stared in shock as Roe landed a successful attack on Hades Crown.

Riley smirked. "You're right, Bao, I don't have technique. But I _do _have power and determination, and that's all that I need. ROE!" The dark green bey glowed pink and green, and Riley was surrounded by a forest green aura. Her eyes were tinged a pale pink along with the usual dark magenta purple shade. Bao gulped as Hades Crown started to wobble under Roe's tremendous attack power. "R-Riley?" Roe stopped wobbling all of a sudden.

"Special move, Gaia's Fury!" Riley yelled.

"Uh oh," Bao squeaked out, suddenly fearful.

The beautiful young deer emerged from the bey, looking every bit as magnificent as it always was. Its snowy, velvety antlers glowed a bright white colour and started to grow, becoming longer and more pointed. Now it was a truly spectacular sight, and it only got better. The antlers glowed several different colours, mainly a muted green, pink, yellow and blue. A faint rainbow tint was also present on the energy. Roe slammed into Hades Crown, causing it to fall back.

The red bey landed outside the stadium. Bao sighed, picking Hades Crown up. Riley smiled in satisfaction. "YAY! Oh, and good battle, Bao." She cheered before running out of the checkpoint.

* * *

"Ah! Quetzalcoatl!" Tithi gasped as his bey was flung into the stadium wall with amazing strength. It managed to keep spinning, but its spin strength had decreased significantly since the start of the battle. He bit his lip. _If I don't do something quick, Quetzalcoatl will be toast! _The blood red bey continued its barrage of attacks, not even pausing or flinching when Quetzalcoatl started to crack under the pressure that his opponent was putting on it.

"Please stop!" Tithi pleaded, but the indigo haired blader on the other side- Seth- simply smirked, his light brown eyes filled with sick joy. "Quetzalcoatl, Ishtar Impact!" The yellow and amber bey glowed a bright amber colour before speeding towards Coyote.

"Why would I stop?" Seth said softly. "Winter Nightmare!" The pointed black icicles glittered maliciously as it headed down, rotating quickly. Tithi's eyes widened, looking at the scene in terror, unable to do anything.

Suddenly, the icicles paused in mid-air. "Huh?" Tithi looked both relieved and confused. The icicles seemed to shimmer, as if they weren't fully solid. Seth was coated with a light white glow. "Argh!" A scream ripped from the teen's throat as his eyes snapped shut and he clutched his head. When his eyes opened again, it seemed to be alternating between his usual light brown and a dark honey colour. He seemed to be in extremely intense pain.

The Quetzalcoatl blader's caring side took over. "S-Seth? What's wrong? Are you OK?" He was alarmed by Seth's hair gradually starting to change colour.

"Seth?!" Tithi was extremely concerned about the other blader.

The teen hunched over and screamed in pain as he felt the changes occur to his body, both sides of him fighting for control. It felt like his body was being ripped apart.

Finally, the pain stopped. Exhausted, Seth collapsed to the ground, gladly embracing the comforting darkness.

* * *

**What's wrong with Seth? Will we find out? *Speaking in mysterious voice***

**Chris: While you're at it, you can stop hugging me.**

**Me: No! I need someone to hug. *Yu enters* Yu can I hug you?**

**Yu: Sure!**

**Me: Yay! *Throws Chris aside and hugs Yu* Thanks!**

**Chris: That hurt... you're insane Nyx...**

**Tsuki: What did you say?**

**Chris: I don't like the sound of this... HELP! *Starts getting chased***

**Nile: Nyx hopes you enjoyed this chapter! And critiques welcome and please review! (Only helping me cause I left him alone for a while)**


	31. Chapter 31

***Looks* Wow... there are a lot of Italics in this chapter.**

**Kyoya: *Face-palms* That's all you can say? Not that it's pathetic, sucks and horrible because YOU MADE GINGKA BEAT ME?!**

**Me: *Shrugs* You were going to say that anyway. **

**Tithi: I read this chapter and I'm a little freaked out by it.**

**Me: *Innocent smile* **

**Yu: Is it _that _scary?**

**Tithi: Well, no, but just...the end...**

**Me: Ah, don't spoil it. Anyway, there is a song in this chapter. It's "Find Yourself", written by Brad Paisley. And, in case you're wondering, I don't own it. Why would I? On that note, I don't own MFB either and hope you enjoy.**

* * *

_Did it...did it stop? Which side won? Where am I? Is there even a winner? Has it finally taken its toll on my body?_

The teen felt cold from the demons inside him threatening to take over. He wanted them to go away. The demons weren't welcome. They weren't supposed to be in him in the first place. He shivered unconsciously, and just wished for warmth.

_When you find yourself in some far off place  
And it causes you to rethink some things  
You start to sense that slowly youre becoming someone else  
And then you find yourself_

Warmth, as in his light side. This battle was much more difficult than the usual battles. Probably because of the stupid device, the demons inside him were now _stronger. _But the light side of him was real. It was what he truly was. He wanted escape, an end to all this pain and cold. He wanted the warmth of truth and hope.

But most of all, he wanted a _friend._

Ever since the demons came, he was alone. Sure, he had his allies, but they weren't all that close. Kage always seemed to be distant, and looked down on anyone of a lower rank. Dynamis was OK, but the most they did was tolerate each other. And Kaiian was the worst. He would mock him for his low rank despite being an Ourano Blader. He remembered Corisande saying that it was too risky for him to do too many missions, only short ones in the daytime.

None of this was his fault. He wasn't even very sure how long he had been there, or how he had joined. He only had a blurry memory of a promise, and a death. His parent's death.

He had been asking himself this the whole time. What was truth and what was lies?

_When you make new friends in a brand new town  
And you start to think about settling down  
The things that would have been lost on you are now clear as a bell  
And you find yourself, yeah, thats when you find yourself_

He remembered the searing pain and the cold every night. He remembered pain; he remembered the cuts he received when he pounded the wall in frustration. He was _weak. _He was just a teen- a pathetic teen who didn't even have any control over what he did. He felt his scarred fingers twitch slightly, hidden by the gloves. He remembered the screaming, the noise and the anger. He had to relieve that every night. And he wanted relief from it.

_Can I just die here? _The boy questioned himself. _Is it even worth it?_

Something called to him. It was the angels, the angels who always shielded him from the darkness in his heart. The ones that fought endlessly. He could just join them, then everything- all the suffering, it would be gone. He would be happy. He felt the warmth- a wing, perhaps? He was lying on something soft, the pain immobilizing him. His eyes were closed, but he could see the kind face staring down at him- the woman, his guardian angel.

"Mum," He murmured unconsciously. The woman smiled and tenderly stroked her son's hair.

"I wanna sleep...and join you..." He said, but she shook her head.

"Seth, please...you've been through much, but you're still young." Seth instinctively curled up even tighter. "You can't just give up on your life, sweetheart... you can't run from the demons forever. You have to be strong and fight them." Seth shook his head.

"I'm not strong. I'm weak, Mum. I'm a coward. That's why I don't deserve to live and...it feels...so warm...so comfortable..." The young woman could feel his spirit slowly slipping away, fading. He had chosen to give up on himself, to end all of this pain. He was so lost and buried in truth and lies that he decided to choose nothing. It broke her heart to see the boy, his body battered from the darkness, his eyes lightly closed. But she smiled slightly, seeing his hair a deep shade of magenta instead of the artificial purple they had given him. His skin was more tanned, and she was pretty sure his eyes were a deep honey as well.

_He did choose... he just didn't realize it._

_Well, you go through life so sure of where youre heading  
And you wind up lost and its the best thing that could happen  
Cause sometimes when you lose your way its really just as well  
Cause you find yourself, yeah, that's when you find yourself_

"What would your brother do if he finds out that you're dead?" This instantly grabbed Seth's attention. _Brother?! _"W-what are you talking about?" He asked in shock. "I don't have a brother!" He shouted. His mother shook her head slowly.

"You do Seth."

Vague memories ran through his mind of a tiny child, with scruffy magenta hair and dark skin. Laughter and sunshine, a period before the accident happened. And... _was it actually an accident?_

* * *

_He used to love winter. _

_He loved the cold and the ice and the fun they all had together as one big happy family. Building snowmen, having snowball fights or skiing. The cold never bothered him, no matter the temperature. He didn't care if he was sick the next day._

_The fun and warmth he had with his family more than made up for that._

_He used to hate summer._

_His parents had to go to work, and he had to go to school. His quiet demeanor made it easy for him to get bullied. His parents didn't come home until late at night. How they managed to stay together, it was the weekends and holidays. They were still a family- but they couldn't show their love quite as much as in winter._

_In contrast, summer felt oh so cold and lonely and dreary- it was so ironic it was funny._

* * *

_They were walking, smiling through all the cheerful sunshine. They were closer than family, they were a whole. They were married by chemistry, bound by blood. They were the perfect answer of what a family would be. A perfect family. They didn't have any worries or problems. They were happy; contented. But that one truck ended that._

_It was a morning. A Sunday morning. December 12th. His birthday. It was a rare sight for a teen to be seen with his parents. But he didn't care. They had just come home after dinner, and he'd been utterly elated at his birthday present. Somehow, he knew it would come- one way or another. After the Nemesis Crisis, he became hooked on Beyblade. Watched it every day in his room. And his parents knew him too well. He got what he wanted- for a cost._

_He clutched a small metal object in his hand, his present. A sparkling white bey with a muted rainbow fusion wheel that fanned out just like angel wings. An energy ring that seemed detached from the bey- even though it was just magnetism, it reminded him of an angel halo. And the performance tip was a deep magenta, broad and sturdy. His bey was a defense type. He clearly remembered the words that his mother told him when she handed him the bey._

_"This bey is your guardian angel. It will protect you even when we can't anymore." _

_That was when he came up with the bey's name. _

_Guardian Angel._

_When you meet the one that youve been waiting for  
And shes everything that you want and more  
You look at her and you finally start to live for someone else  
And then you find yourself, yeah, thats when you find yourself_

_All too soon though, just as they were crossing the road, a blue blur hurtled towards them. He stopped, frozen, paralyzed with fear. He screamed as the impact sent him flying, almost instantly blacking out when he hit the pavement. But only almost. He wished it was instant._

_He registered screams, inhuman, horrible sounds, his parent's screams, the futile squeal and hiss of rubber tires on the tarmac road, and blood, blood, blood. _

_Red splattered the black tiles. The screams filled his ears and then SILENCE._

_And then he fell down, down, down, towards complete darkness._

_He thought he was dead. He wasn't. He awoke, not on the road, not in a hospital bed. He awoke in some type of firm, soft platform. A mask was placed over his face and multiple tubes running out of his body. The whole place was gray and blue- cold colours. Cold, like the atmosphere in the room. Cold, like the icy feeling that washed over him when the trauma registered, fresh in his mind, emotional scars that were newly cut. All he felt was COLD._

_Some strange woman came. She seemed nice enough- she had dark blue and pale blue eyes. She promised to take care of him, to make him forget. He had been hurting so much, he wanted the pain to just go away._

_ He agreed too easily._

* * *

_He now hated winter._

_Full of memories with parents... parents that couldn't be by his side any more. Parents that were gone. Just gone. Their existence was wiped off the face of the Earth- literally. The were forgotten over time. They died when the truck exploded. The were dead, physically._

_They might have been the ones who died, but he was dead too, Dead emotionally. All the memories and emotions had faded into one numb, hurting mask, unable to feel anymore. Just like the cold._

_He hated winter because it was the season his parents died._

_He hated winter because it reminded him of who he was._

_He now loved summer._

_Every day was so icy. The summer held the least memories of him and his parents. The bullies quickly faded into the very back of his memory. Every day held a sense of normality, security and routine- wake up, school, homework, lunch, study, free time, dinner, sleep, the cycle just repeating the same old activities._

_He found some strange sense of comfort in the dull routine. The fact that it didn't change, and nothing could change it. And the fact that it hurt the least._

_He loved summer because there were less memories. _

_He loved summer because it enabled him to put on a facade._

* * *

Tears rolled down the boy's cheeks. It was true, all of it was true. He knew what to choose, but he had been tangled up for long enough. He tried to keep his grip on the wing, to stay with his parents- death, where he rightfully belonged, but he felt himself already slipping, heading towards reality. But he had one more question, just one. That needed to be answered no matter what. One that could help heal his badly damaged spirit.

"Who was he?" The woman smiled with pride and allowed herself to fade away into the spirit world.

"His name...was Tithi."

He was falling again, spiraling downwards. He saw the pitch black beneath his feet. But he wasn't scared this time.

Because maybe now, he would find the light at the end of the tunnel.

_We go through life so sure of where were heading  
And then we wind up lost and its the best thing that could happen  
Sometimes when you lose your way its really just as well  
Because you find yourself, yeah, thats when you find yourself_

* * *

**Yu: O.O Now I know why you're freaked out.**

**Tithi: Yeah...**

**Seth: SERIOUSLY NYX? PINK HAIR?**

**Me: *Rolls eyes* It's magenta. Learn the difference. I was thinking about Frozen for some reason during the winter and summer parts. **

**Gingka: Uh Huh. Bet you were tempted to make Seth sing "Let it go" or something. *Sarcastically***

**Me: HOW DID YOU KNOW?!  
**

**Gingka and Seth: O.O**

**Me: Anyway I think I might finally be getting my own laptop so that probably means faster updates. Emphasis on MIGHT, though...**

**Fiona: Nyx hopes you enjoyed this chapter. Critiques welcome and please review! :)**

**Everyone: SINCE WHEN DID YOU GET HERE?!**


	32. Chapter 32

**This was a really hard chapter to write! :( I'm bad at those feelings stuff. Like your mind is going to explode by the end of this.**

**Tithi: It's not that bad.**

**Kyoya: Because you're happy in it.**

**Tithi: Whatever!**

**Seth: The spotlight's _still _on me?**

**Me: No...um, you and Tithi.**

**Seth: That's the same thing.**

**Me: Please enjoy this horribly written chapter! And I don't own MFB in case you're asking!**

* * *

_Is there...is there light now? Because I know I have to live. Or I'll regret it all my life._

_And my brother won't know that I've been there the whole time. _He felt something cover half of his face. It was so soft and brought warmth to his freezing body. Was that...moonlight? A mask that was made out of moonlight? It seemed more liquid than solid. He touched it, and felt his fingers being coated in the warm light.

He knew what the mask was, even with his eyes closed. A simple, graceful half-mask coloured snowy white, with several moonlit feathers at the edges. Silver and gold sparkles lightly dusted one side of it. Feathers. _Feathers from an angel's wing. _He felt his mother's kind words as he fell deeper down. _Embrace all you have now._

_"His name...was Tithi."_

A small, peaceful smile crossed his face. It felt happy yet strange- he hadn't smiled in a long time. He finally made the decision as he fell.

_He opened his eyes and saw light, light that didn't want anything from him, that just wanted to give him what he always wanted._

Warmth. Moonlight, sunlight and the light of new, possible friendships, they all gave him warmth. There was light in the end. Light that he couldn't see because the demons blocked out the lights. But now only the angels resided. They were gone- hopefully forever. His eyes found light, a serene golden yellow light. He could make out a face- blurry but familiar. He found it inside him, willing his eyelids to slide open all the way this time.

Tithi. Seth could call him a lot of things.

Past enemy.

Acquaintance.

Possible ally.

Possible friend.

And most importantly, newfound _brother. _He found it impossible to sit up because of the pain binding him. The little boy crouched over him, looking extremely worried and perplexed by the recent events. "Are you OK, Seth? What happened to you?" He was a little freaked out. _He just fainted in the middle of a battle, his appearance changed, he started talking to himself, and he was out for a long time! And- _Tithi glanced back at the arena. _His bey changed! _The bey spinning in the stadium wasn't a blood red with a jet black fusion wheel.

Instead, this bey seemed like the opposite, pure snowy white with a fusion wheel that was coloured like a frosty rainbow aurora. It was expertly made, with each "feather" on the smooth but uniquely shaped wheel detailed. The spin track was light blue, with a detached gold energy ring that seemed to glimmer with all the colours of the rainbow when the sunlight shone on it. The performance tip was a dark magenta colour, with the bottom a smooth glass-plastic fusion.

He heard a pained sound near him. "T-Tithi..." He turned towards the weak blader, who was attempting to sit up. He managed to prop himself up with his hands. "We need to talk."

He didn't expect what came next.

_"So do you remember the brother you thought you had but you never saw him?" _He stiffened and looked at Seth, an unreadable expression in his dark honey coloured eyes. He slowly nodded. _How did he know this. I never told anyone about it._

"The mask wasn't really yours, right?" Tithi blinked for a few seconds before realizing what Seth was talking about. The mask he used to wear when he was too shy to talk to other children. He kept it in Dynamis's temple, not really having the need to wear it anymore.

"Quetzalcoatl gave it to you." The next one shocked Tithi. _Quetzalcoatl gave it to me? _A memory distantly played in the back of his mind.

* * *

_Tithi played along the maze, bored. He hadn't seen anyone in months, and he was lonely. Since his family had been separated from him in a riot, he had assumed they were dead and lived alone. It was the same every day, walking around to find food, playing with the forest animals, and walking around some more._

_He was afraid of meeting other children. They would pity him. He was Tithi. He wasn't "The poor boy whose family died in the riot"._

_In all, it was a very dull period of life._

_Walking wasn't quite fun._

_He was finding some food one day when he tripped and fell down a hole in the ground. "AHH!" He screamed, as his small body flailed. Finally, he landed on soft earth. "OW!" He glared at the sliver of light peeking through from the top of the whole._

_"How am I supposed to climb out of this?" He asked, frustrated. Suddenly, an amber light lit up the dirty tunnel and a light yellow snake-like spirit appeared in front of him. It was four times taller than Tithi, with small wings and a gentle expression on his face._

_"I can help."_

_Tithi climbed up on the snake's back and it flew out of the tunnel. "Thank you," He said politely. _

_"You've been hurting a lot," The snake commented. Her voice wasn't pitying, but instead steady and kind. "My name is Quetzalcoatl."_

_Quetzalcoatl...the deity? But what was she- it- whatever- doing here in front of him?_

_"Do you want to forget? Forget everything? I can help." Tithi nodded enthusiastically. He didn't want to know about any deaths at all. He wanted to live his life without pain, just like a normal child. He wanted closure from all the deaths that happened. Quetzalcoatl smiled- a bittersweet smile. She couldn't tell him that his family was alive. Fate had written it that way. He would die if he joined them again. So she had to keep the truth. Because she was Quetzalcoatl, the deity assigned to watched over this boy._

_Two items appeared in the boy's hands. One was a large, fancy brown mask. "This is to make sure that no one knows about you. That way it is easier. And this masks connects you to someone else." Tithi was confused but Quetzalcoatl ignored him. "And this is a bey, to show that you're never alone. See? It's Death Quetzalcoatl. I'll always be with you." The pretty amber and orange bey glittered in the light. Tithi smiled at the snakelike deity. "Thank you so much."_

_The deity didn't want to do this, but she had to. He would forget ever meeting her. Sighing, she rested a glowing wing on his head, coating him in an amber glow. The effects would take place in a few minutes. Quetzalcoatl flew up into the air, but Tithi stopped her._

_"Who am I connected to?" He asked curiously._

_"Someone who wears a mask as well. He will help you remember."_

_Goodbye Tithi...I'll protect you, always._

* * *

"But you are evil!"

Seth was silent for a while before revealing a small box-like device chained to him. "This device brainwashed me. It works only on compatible people in the daytime. Since it's night, its effects are gone for now. The only reason why I fainted was because the darkness was stronger as the device was closer to me."

Tithi's expression hardened and he muttered something under his breath about Corisande. Something that Seth wasn't sure he wanted to know. Then, before he knew it, Quetzalcoatl was enveloped in an amber light as it smashed the device to pieces. He then sat back up and stared at the other blader.

"So you-you're the-" Tithi started. Grimly, Seth smiled as a white glow coated half of his face. The light took on a more solid form and transformed into a white half mask with several feathers at the edges. "If I wear this mask, I can hide myself to others. I'll be forgotten until I take it off. Well, only you can see me." He closed his eyes and gave a silent order. Instantly, the mask disappeared. Seth flinched slightly as Tithi happily tackled him in a hug.

"I have a brother! I have a brother! I have a-" Seth cut the joyful little boy off.

"I'm sorry Tithi. Mum and Dad died in an accident on my birthday...but I suspect it was Corisande's doing." He said softly.

He continued. "And I know that it's my fault... we went out to get my bey, but, they-" Tears started to form in his eyes. Tithi said nothing. He was sad too, but he wasn't the one that had lived with his parents his whole life. He hugged his brother tighter.

"It'll be OK. You still have me."

Seth smiled sadly. He finally returned the hug.

And there was their first peaceful moment as brothers.

* * *

The Egyptian teen panted. _Only a little while more, Nile, only a little while..._

It was a long, tiring journey. A journey that he had to take, no matter what. Demons and darkness constantly clouded his vision, but he somehow reached the place he was looking for. His face was expressionless but his eyes- able to see again- had a tiny flicker of hope in it. A spark of hope in days.

He heard that he would find closure here. He was doubtful. It was probably another evil place again. But he had to try.

_And maybe I'll finally acknowledge Yu as a friend._

He stared at the tall building in front of him. It was dark- he had probably arrived late and they just finished. A few words were etched in the black marble.

_**慰め ****Nagusame**_

_"Solace"_

* * *

**Me: *Grins* Bet you didn't expect the last part! *Turns to Nile* BAD NILE! YOU RAN AWAY! HOW MANY TIMES WILL YOU GOING MISSING? *Hits him with a random plushy***

**Nile: You were the one who made me run away!**

**Me: *Changes topic* And Seth and Tithi reconciled. Yay!**

**Seth: I basically have a mask that makes me invisible and everyone forgets me?**

**Me: Besides me and Tithi, yes.**

**Seth: Cool!**

**Me: I don't actually know Japanese. Shame on me, but I used Google Translate. And I won't be lazy and actually say it. I hoped you enjoy this chapter (But WHY exactly would you enjoy it?). Critiques welcome and please review!**


	33. Chapter 33

**Hello... and welcome back to DA EVIL LAND OF PLOT TWISTS AND HORRIBLE WRITING SKILLS THAT YOU PROBABLY WANT TO KILL ME FOR! Red from Pokemon already wants to kill me. And I know, I'm so awesomely pathetic (Wait that contrasts), I made another plot twist in this chapter. MWAHAHAHA! And that was my failed attempt at evil laughter. Oh, and my BFF Lunacrest (Luna) Finally got Fanfiction! :) Go follow her or feel the wrath of my rainbow army of steel pixie unicorn hybrids that spit exploding magma marshmallows!  
**

**Chris: *Taps* Nyx...wrong story. This isn't Insanity OVERLOAD.**

**Me: I know, but I'm insane anyway, so, meh...**

**Chris: Never mind, forget I said anything...**

**Ryuto: Why am I here?**

**Bao: Because she wants you to. Now say the disclaimer.**

**Ryuto: OK... *Completely clueless* Nyx does not own MFB and she hopes you enjoy this chapter.**

* * *

A pale teal eye seemed to gleam slightly in the darkness as a dark figure strode towards the Egyptian. She seemed almost intimidating as she approached him. "So you're the new member then." Nile nodded, wondering if this was such a good idea after all.

"Closure, huh..." She murmured it so softly that Nile could barely hear her. "Everyone except me seems to find it..." She whispered.

She cleared her throat and straightened, returning to her original impassive state. Nile looked confused.

"Follow me." She then turned away, striding off quickly without turning back.

Nile sighed as he followed the girl, who, he was pretty sure, was younger than her. But he had no other choice. He wanted to heal so badly.

_There's no turning back now..._

* * *

The navy haired woman's glare hardened at the sight of a complete stranger standing in front of her. He had a stocky physique, peanut-butter coloured hair and wore black glasses. A small smirk was carved onto his face. He wore a dark green shirt with the words "I was born to kill" on it, a short-sleeved gray jacket and light brown jeans. He also had on dark green and white sneakers. An object- a bey, perhaps?- was clutched tightly in his gloved hand.

She grabbed the intruder by his shirt collar. "Tell. Me. What are you doing here?" She snarled. Instead, the teen simply chuckled lightly and pushed her off. He shook his head and smiled at her slightly, causing her cyan eyes to narrow even more at him.

"It seems I was misunderstood. I came here to join you." He stated, causing Corisande to look suspiciously at him.

"How did you know us?"

The boy strode past her. "That's not important. I know everything about the Skia Bladers organization. I _even _know that a certain member has left you and you might need more help," He commented smoothly. Corisande sighed. He was right, they did need more help. She kept her eye on him, but she didn't question the teen any further, following him down the corridor. _We'll see if he's a worthy blader that can contribute to us. But he is a little creepy..._

* * *

Chris yawned slightly. 45 minutes had crept by and there _still _wasn't anyone else at the mountain peak. _This is starting to get really boring. _Just as he thought that, a teen finally walked onto the mountain peak. She looked around for a while before deciding to sit down. Chris grinned. Time for battle. Finally!

"Looking for someone?" He called and jumped down from the large rock he was previously on. The blader gasped and whipped her head around. Chris studied her. She had dark blue eyes with flecks of purple and turquoise in them, long wavy sea green hair that cascaded down her right shoulder in a loose ponytail and a peachy complexion. She wore a white blouse with pale lilac trim as well as long, light yellow gloves that covered almost her whole arms. She also wore a white and purple skirt that was covered by her blouse at the front and flowed out at the back. She also had light yellow tights on and white and silver boots. She wore a lot of flashy jewelery, like gold bangles, gold earrings and a gold necklace.

She was staring in him in awe. He didn't know why. He hadn't even seen this girl before. "Oh my god, you're actually Chris?" He looked at her, bored already. "If I'm not mistaken, my name _is _Chris." He said slowly. "And who are you?"

She let out a fangirl-like squeal before staring at him with large adoring eyes. "I can't believe I finally got to meet my idol! I am _so _lucky! I'm your biggest fan!" Chris looked at her with a withering expression on his face. "That's nice, now can we please-" He was cut off by the teen.

She took a deep breath to calm herself down. "My name is Saphyr- wait, are you telling me you don't know me at all?" She asked with an incredulous expression on her face. Chris just raised an eyebrow and gave her a poker face. She growled and pouted. "I'm a really famous blader!" She informed him. Chris yawned. "Never heard of you. Now let's-" He anime fell as he was cut of yet again. "I can't believe you've never heard of me! Well I'm finally gonna beat you today!"

"Doubt it," Chris said as she finally shut up and took out her bey- a white and gold bey that looked really fancy. It had multiple ridges and panels that reminded him of Ruby Equia, Rhea's bey. It also had an elegant spiraling energy ring that surrounded its spin track as well as a smooth plastic performance tip that was coated with rubber at the sides. Interesting bey. Whatever. He had a slightly sadistic smile on his face as he attached Orion to his launcher.

"WAIT!" The Chinese DJ shouted at them. Chris looked at him. "Please tell me we don't have to wait for _every single blader and spectator to come _again." He said dryly. "You're right!" The DJ then shouted into a speaker. "All bladers and spectators! Two bladers have already arrived at the mountain peak, so please stop all battles now and proceed there at once!"

* * *

_"All bladers and spectators! Two bladers have already arrived at the mountain peak, so please stop all battles now and proceed there at once!"_

Seth and Tithi looked up. "Huh...?" They saw the checkpoint door sliding open. Grinning, they walked out towards the mountain peak.

* * *

"Pegasus, Astral-" Gingka was cut off by the speakers. He whined like a little kid. "OH COME ON! I THOUGHT I WOULD HAVE A CHANCE THIS TIME!" He shouted angrily. Riley just shrugged and looked at Gingka with a huge smile on her face.

"Never mind Gingky! We still had fun, didn't we?" She exclaimed before skipping away. Sighing, Gingka committed himself to his fate and followed the overenthusiastic little girl out of the door.

"But I really wanted to win the giant Twilight Star trophy..." He mumbled.

* * *

Astri sat up slowly, wincing as her body hurt a little. She grabbed Starlight and stood up slowly, surprised by how wobbly she was. _You OK? _The spirit asked. In response, she grunted in pain but said, _Fine, just a little wobbly. _She then proceeded out of the checkpoint.

_I wonder who managed to make it. This sounds crazy, but I don't want Dynamis to make it to the mountain peak. Who knows what destruction he might cause. _She shuddered inwardly. That would not be good at all. But first, she had to make it to the peak.

* * *

Finally, all the spectators and bladers managed to make it to the mountain top. Chris sighed and took out his launcher. "I still don't know who you are, but you're going down." Flash Orion was pointed towards the arena. Saphyr grinned madly and readied her own launcher, white with pale gold and purple trim. "I'm ready!" Chris scanned the crowd, seeing several of his friends seated near the front. Then, he saw a beat up Astri sitting in the second row. His eyes widened in confusion and concern.

_What in the world happened to you?! _He thought. Astri caught his gaze and sent a silent message back. _Don't worry about me. I'll tell you later. _He nodded, refocusing on the battle currently about to take place. The crowd started counting down. "3!"

"2!" Saphyr called, making her final adjustments to her launcher.

"1!" Chris stated, making sure his aim was perfect.

"Let it rip!"

The two beys dropped into the arena and started circling each other. Chris then noticed the facebolt on her bey. It was a deep metallic gold, depicting a detailed fox head in white and orange lines. Saphyr called her first move. "Go now, Kitsune!" The pretty white bey sped towards Orion at an incredibly fast speed and smashed into it, but Orion's Bearing Drive made it have no effect at all. Saphyr scowled and commanded her bey to move away.

Chris smirked. "Orion, go now!" The magenta and red bey raced towards the competition, sending it flying into the air. Saphyr saw her chance and called out her move. "Special move, Sun Dawn!" A circle of sunlight formed in the air around the stadium. Suddenly, Kitsune glowed with a white light and charged into Orion with twice the speed and power, causing the bey to be pushed into the wall this time.

"Attack again!" Chris ordered, and Orion swiftly closed in. However, just as it was about to land a hit, Kitsune suddenly, seamlessly charged away from it. Chris was shocked. "How did it reach full speed that quickly?!" He exclaimed. Saphyr smiled. "You see, my Akarui Kitsune has three modes, fast, extra fast and steady. The rubber coating on my bey's performance tip along with its ultra-smooth performance tip allows it to start and stop quickly!"

Kitsune then unleashed a merciless barrage of attacks on Orion, causing it to wobble despite Bearing Drive. Chris growled slightly. "Orion, Barnard's Loop!" Five magenta pillars caused one massive eruption of light, swallowing the small bey. Chris smirked. "How did you like that?" To his surprise, Saphyr returned with a smirk of her own. "That was impressive! I never thought I would ever get to see Barnard's Loop up close but it looks amazing. But Kitsune isn't quite done yet! Defense mode!"

The panels remained, but the fusion wheel became more spread out, protecting a greater area. Another layer of metal coated the energy ring. "Special move, Moonlight Healer!" The white and gold bey glowed and white wisps was sucked in from the moon. Kitsune glowed extremely bright before the energy faded, revealing it to have no traces of wobbling at all. "B-But how? Unless that move manages to heal Kitsune or something..." Chris muttered.

"You're absolutely right! And now go!" Kitsune continued attacking Chris, not even giving poor Orion a chance to recover its balance. Chris gritted his teeth. _This isn't good._

"Special move, Brilliant Flash Blast!" A huge blast of red and white energy was released, blasting Kitsune back. "Not bad. Special move, Crespucular Dusk!" A dark indigo and black energy surrounded the bey and sent the power out in waves towards Orion, causing it to take some serious damage.

"Orion, Special-"

"Not so fast! Special move, Golden Striker!" The bey spirit finally emerged, a nine-tailed fox, pure white, with light gold and yellow tips on its tail, paws and face. All nine tales lit up in a blazing gold and it sent nine gold beams towards Orion, making it cry out in pain. Chris was sent stumbling back, trying to hide the pain from his ankle. _I don't know what to do! _"Orion!" He yelled, seeing his bey barely spinning in the arena.

Astri gasped. _Chris is being completely overpowered in this battle. Could Saphyr be an Ourano blader?_

"Finish it up, Akarui Kitsune!" Saphyr shouted. "Special move, Sunblaze Spiral!"

The spiral-like energy ring charged up in a bright gold light and the panels glowed gold as well, as the fox spirit emerged and was surrounded in a spiral of gold sun-like flames that danced around it. The fox then charged towards Orion. Chris froze, his pupils dilating and he felt panic rise up inside him. _No! I don't want to lose. I can't lose!_

_I JUST CAN'T!_

"GO NOW!" Chris yelled as both he and his bey glowed a bright magenta colour. Well, actually, Orion glowed white and magenta. There was a huge release of energy as the gold light disappeared. Saphyr was shocked. "What's going on!?" She yelled.

The light faded from Orion, revealing a different looking bey. It looked haunting, with a mainly light blue fusion wheel that faded to white like a wisp of blue flame. It was also mainly a light blue with white tips, with also a touch of magenta. There were no sharp edges to this bey- it was just extremely beautiful in a chilling, ghostly way.

_Does this mean that... C-Chris is an..._

"Spectral Orion!"

* * *

**Nile: We hoped you have enjoyed the chapter and-**

**Random character from Pokemon walks in: What did I miss, and who are you?**

**Chris: We're... OH WAIT YOU'RE FROM THE OTHER ROOM. NOW GO BACK.**

**Gingka: So... Chris is an Ourano Blader? What about me?! :(  
**

**Chris: *Puts on sunglasses* I'm awesome. Deal. With. It.**

**Ryuto: Uh... so this is the normal level of insanity for a chapter?  
**

**Me: *Enters* Yup!**

**Ryuto: I don't think I will ever set foot in here again...**

**Me: By the way, thank you Supporter12 (Or B-daworld55 on DeviantArt) for making this wonderful, awesome, amazing, perfect cover for Drowning in Darkness! I could go on forever about how breathtaking it is! But before I start my fangirl onslaught, I will just say that I hope you enjoyed (Wait did Nile already say that? XD) And critiques welcome and please review! Oh and I DREAMED OF A CHRIS/GINGKA YAOI I'M SO SORRY GUYS! MIND I HATE YOU FOR MAKING ME DREAM THAT!**

**Chris and Gingka: O.O**


	34. Chapter 34

**I'm back with another chapter! In the last chapter *Smirks* Chris had a fangirl...**

**Chris: And that I'm an Ourano blader.**

**Gingka: I'm still pissed 'cause Chris is one and I'm not. Nyx, this isn't fair. Make me an Ourano blader too.**

**Chris and Me: Life's not fair.**

**Gingka: *Falls silent and goes to sulk in the emo corner***

**Astri: WHY NYX! THIS CHAPTER IS EVIL! AND SOMEHOW I STILL LIKE IT!  
**

**Riley: Is it because of all the references that you two are totally crushing on each other?**

**Astri and Chris: WE ARE SO NOT CRUSHING!**

**Riley: Uh huh... *Raised eyebrow skeptically* Whatever. Nyx doesn't own MFB, she only owns her OCs and their beys. Though technically, she kind of owns the canon character's evolved beys as well. Never mind. We hope you enjoy this chapter.**

* * *

Astri's eyes widened in shock as she saw the beautiful ghostly bey spin gracefully in the arena. A magenta and ice blue aura surrounded Chris, and he was breathing heavily. "Go, Orion!" He called. The bey headed towards Kitsune and hit it, causing the white bey to be sent flying.

_The unique warped shaped to Orion's fusion wheel isn't for attacking, yet it sent Kitsune flying with just one attack... just what bey is it? _Astri thought to herself.

"Spectral Orion somehow has the ability to create a mist of blue flames around itself, enabling it to have stronger attack power. I don't know how it does that, but it can." Yu declared. Astri nodded. "And the warped fusion wheel is for..." She trailed off seeing Chris call a new special move.

"Orion, special move! Phantom Wisp!" The bey's fusion wheel glowed and blue flames engulfed Akarui Kitsune, causing it to gradually take damage. "Ah! Kitsune!" Saphyr cried in alarm as her bey began to wobble seriously. "Moonlight Healer!" She squeaked. But the special move didn't work. The usual white wisps of moonlight didn't flow into Kitsune. "But how? Why didn't it work?!" Saphyr exclaimed, shocked and scared of Orion now.

"When under Phantom Wisp, you can't use any non-damaging special moves! Special move, Spirit Flare!"

"Uh- Special move, Sunblaze Spiral!" Gold light charged up the spiral energy ring and the fusion wheel, and rings of gold flames surrounded Kitsune as it ran towards Orion. Chris smirked. Spectral Orion lit up in a pale blue energy and a huge blue flare lit up the stadium, white orb-like energy surrounding the fire. Astri flinched. _Even I can feel the pressure caused by all that energy, and I'm not even battling! Spectral Orion is really strong!_

A pillar of magenta, blue and white energy exploded in the stadium, causing sparks to fly everywhere. When the smoke cleared, Kitsune had been flung into a nearby wall and Orion was spinning in the stadium. It flew back into Chris's hand. Saphyr looked shocked as her mind registered the recent events. "I... I lost? But how?" Chris stood there, his shoulders shaking from the exertion. Astri ran up to him. "Are you OK, Chris?" She asked in concern.

"I'm fine..." Chris mumbled, but he collapsed at that moment. "Just tired..." _That battle must have used up a lot of energy. He needs to rest. _She saw a teenage girl with long red hair walking up. "Who are you?" Astri asked. "My name's Ava. I'm Chris's older sister."

Chris sat up, wincing at the pain. "Ow. Anyway, what happened to you, Astri?" He asked, a worried expression on his face. The girl's face fell at the memory of that particularly destructive battle. She didn't want to recall it, but she had no choice. Taking a deep breath, she spoke. "I battled... I battled D-Dynamis. And I lost badly." She started crying suddenly and tackled Chris in a hug. "And he doesn't even seem to remember me! He's acting like he hates me and I don't know what happened!"

"And then..." Her voice was quieter. "I missed you too... I was worried, and it was so much to handle..." Unsure what to do, Chris uncertainly returned the hug. "It's OK. We'll figure something out." He said comfortingly. Ava smirked a little at the cute scene. _My, my... looks like my little brother is finally growing up._

Astri looked up for a moment, and she saw a group of people leaving. Dynamis shot her a hard glare before walking off with the rest. She felt her heart sink and instinctively hugged Chris tighter for comfort. The two stayed that way for a long while before the Chinese DJ spoke. "Er, guys... sorry to interrupt the moment but the prize..." He was cut off by a death glare from their friends. He gulped and fell silent again.

Finally, Astri ended the hug. She dried her tears. "Shall we go now?" Chris nodded and got up, flinching a bit when his ankle started to hurt like crazy again. Astri instantly went to support him, and they slowly made their way back to the waiting helicopter.

* * *

"Excuse me?" A voice stated from behind her. She saw Tithi with another older teen that resembled him. He had dark magenta hair, honey-coloured eyes and slightly tanned skin. "Who are you?" She asked. He smiled nervously. "My name is Seth."

She instantly growled at him and looked ready to lunge, but Tithi jumped in between the two of them. "Wait! We can explain!" He cried, waving his arms around for emphasis. Sighing, she glared furiously at the teen. "You better have a good reason to be here, or else Starlight will destroy you." Chris tapped Astri's shoulder tentatively. "Uh, but isn't Starlight badly damaged from your battle with Dynamis?" He asked. Astri grumbled. "Shut up."

Seth sighed inwardly. This was going to be hard. "See, Corisande brainwashed me..."

"You expect me to believe that?!" Astri practically yelled, taking her bag and bringing her arm bag to fling it at him. A voice timidly spoke up behind her. It was Yu. "But Astri... it kinda explains why his appearance changed and all that..." "Yeah! And Seth has really changed!" Tithi said.

Astri paused and considered it for a while. _What should I do? He does seem completely different, but he was previously a Skia blader... _

"Fine. I'll give you a chance. One wrong move and you're out of our group. And tell me." She grabbed Seth's shirt corner and backed him into a wall. "What. the hell. Happened to Dynamis?!"

"You sure you really want to know?" Seth's eyes became haunted.

* * *

\- Back at the villa-

Chris had gathered up his stuff from the hotel and left, joining the group at Wang Hu Zhong's private villa. He entered the building, only to hear several frustrated screams from an upstairs bedroom. He froze in his tracks. "What's going on?" He asked the nearest person- which happened to be Aguma. The blader shrugged.

"She's having a tantrum after she heard what happened to Dynamis at the Headquarters. I think it's only safe for you to go in there, cause, you know, you're the one she likes the most." He said the last part in a slightly teasing way. A dark blush crept on his cheeks and he glared at Aguma. "For the last time, I do not have a crush on Astri!" he cried before stalking off towards the room of death. He remembered what Seth had told them.

_"Dynamis's spirit was thoroughly broken through torturing both him and his bey using Skia bladers and nightmares of Hades Curse. When that was done, they altered his memories to make it seem like his friends are his worst enemies and only the Skia bladers are his friends."_

Chris could hear the screams clearer as he approached Astri's bedroom. Something very vulgar, that was all he knew. He flinched as the sound of something- maybe a plushy- hitting the door. He had no idea why he decided to take on this near suicidal mission of calming Astri down. He walked up to the door and knocked on it gently. "Er, Astri..." He hadn't even gotten to finish his sentence before the next scream came.

"GO AWAY CHRIS!" Came the shout from behind the door. He sighed and continued speaking. "Look, Astri, I know you're up-"

"UPSET?! DON'T YOU KNOW WHAT HAPPENED? HOW DO YOU EXPECT ME NOT TO BE UPSET?"

The blond teen tried again. "But you aren't supposed to vent your-" He was cut of yet again by Astri.

"MY BROTHER WAS FREAKING BRAINWASHED AND NOW HE HATES ME! YOU DON'T KNOW HOW THAT FEELS SO SHUT UP AND LEAVE ME ALONE!" _Geez, who left caps lock on?_ Something else hit the wall, shattering. Something snapped inside Chris and now he was the one shouting at Astri.

"I know you're upset! I'm shocked too! But throwing a tantrum like a three-year old isn't going to help so just snap the hell out of it! All you're doing is wasting time when you could be coming up with a plan! And you're lucky you even remember your brother, 'cause I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHO I AM!" He took a deep breath to calm himself. Astri had fell silent, probably from shock. He had never yelled at her like that before. Ever. He was starting to regret this now.

He took several deep breaths before he next spoke. "I'm sorry. Maybe I was a little harsh but what I said was true." He paused, but there was only silence. "I have a present I made for you. I'll just leave it outside. When you calm down, you can come out and take it." With that, he walked away.

After several minutes, the crying had died down to a whimper. Astri cautiously opened the door and took the package inside, ripping off the brown paper to reveal...

A pack of chocolate chip cookies, freshly baked. The hot, delicious aroma wafted to her nose. She bit into one, tears springing into her eyes once again.

The cookies tasted exactly the same as the ones baked by her mother.

She read the note at the side.

_Happy Birthday, Astri._

Aguma smiled as the screams had finally dwindled down to blissful silence. He looked up at the bedroom upstairs and smirked to himself. _You don't have a crush, huh... Keep telling yourself that, Chris._

* * *

"So what do we do now? We know for sure that Chris won't join us," Kage grumbled.

"Yeah, and he's around several strong bladers. There's no way we can capture and brainwash him either. Worst of all, Seth turned on us." Kaiian complained.

_That Saphyr girl though... she almost beat Chris, and with the right offer... _"I have a plan, so the both of you, shut up." Dynamis snapped wearily. Both of them went quiet.

He found the green-haired teen back at the tent, scowling. "I can't believe that I lost! Worse, he has a girlfriend? That stinks!" She grumbled. Someone tapped her on the back. She gasped when she found herself staring into icy blue eyes. "Aren't you one of the-"

"I have an offer to make. You want something, and we can help you get it," He said calmly.

_Are they telling the truth? Well, it couldn't hurt, could it? _Saphyr took a deep breath.

"What is it?"

* * *

**Chris: How many people are going to hug me? First Nyx, then Astri?**

**Yu, Riley and Tithi: *Pounces on Chris and hugs him* GIMME COOKEH!**

**Chris: Forget I asked.**

**Astri: NYX I AM NOT CRUSHING ON CHRIS!**

**Me: You so are, just admit it already.**

**Astri: I AM NOT! And I can't believe you put that in my profile on your profile!**

**Riley: It's true.**

**Chris: You're not helping, Riley!**

**Me: Um... I hope you enjoyed this chapter. I'm not very good at the romance stuff, so I may need some time to improve that. Also, the part about Chris not knowing who he is is a reference to another of my stories, Fairytale: Dreams. Yes, my worst story with only two measly chapters up. It's kind of a side story from this one about Chris. Yeah... don't check it out if you want to keep your mind intact. Anyway, critiques welcome (especially with the romance part) and please review!**


	35. Chapter 35

**OK, this is a pretty crazy chapter. We have two OCs making their debuts, though nothing much is really said about both of them, and there's a battle. Did I mention that Gingka pisses Astri off as well?**

**Gingka: Now that's scary...**

**Astri: *Evil grin***

**Dynamis: You made me evil... *Sulks***

**Me: This chapter doesn't even mention you.**

**Dynamis: But still...**

**Me: And sorry I didn't update for so long! I got Pokemon Omega Ruby yesterday and playing that was really fun! Not to mention I got a shiny Eevee over Wonder Trade! It was so awesome I didn't want to stop! Sorry again! Please enjoy! (And I don't own MFB!)**

* * *

The teenage girl sighed as she put down some more papers. The insurmountable amount of work was taking its toll on her. She massaged her temples. She belonged to the outdoors, not some small cramped room here. She abruptly stood up, slamming the drawer shut with more force than she needed to.

"Krista?" She called. A girl with light teal hair emerged from the shadows. She nodded to her, not even needing to say anything in order to understand.

"You need it, Skye," Was all the small girl said as she took the teenager's place at the desk. A grateful look flashed in her eyes before she walked out, casually strapping her sword over her back. She smiled slightly, a real, genuine, rare smile as she felt the sunshine on her face. _It's been too long._ She glanced at the gold and silver winged wristband on her wrist. With each growing day, it seemed to trap her more. But she was stuck here.

It was what she had to do. But she didn't want to.

_I wish all this never happened..._

Suddenly, she heard footsteps behind her. She whirled around, grabbing the person by his shirt collar. Wide, cruel green eyes stared at her. "Who are you?" She asked levelly, her face not betraying any emotion at all. _And it's all because of him that I've become like this..._ She brushed away the thought angrily. She couldn't let herself get sidetracked by that. It was her job to deal with the teenage boy that she had in her grasp.

"Go now," She mumbled, her voice soft as the turquoise bey flew towards him.

_I will handle this quickly. I'll prove to him- no, to everyone- that I can handle this just as well as that jerk._

_Or I'm not worthy of their teaching. I'll make you proud... I promise._

* * *

"Hey guys," Astri said tiredly as she approached the rest of the group. Her eyes were a little red from crying, and her hair was messed up and all fluffy, but otherwise she seemed much better. She was currently munching on a cookie. She joined them for breakfast and took some waffles, but otherwise she mainly ate cookies. Gingka looked at her, a slightly concerned expression on his face. He probably heard the commotion she had caused in the villa.

Finally, Yu broke the awkward silence. "So, Astri... are we still going?" He asked. Everyone turned to Astri, with expectant looks on their faces. Well, everyone except Chris, who looked totally lost. Astri was a little confused as well.

"Going where?"

Riley spoke up next. "Um... you said we were going to Greece next." There was a clatter and everyone's gaze turned to Chris who was staring at them wide eyed.

_"Greece?!"_ He asked. Astri looked a little sheepish.

"Yeah, I forgot to tell you that... we're going to Greece because there's been a rumor of a powerful blader there and he or she might be an Ourano blader and if we get another Our-" Her rambling was cut off by Gingka, who glared at her. "Astri..."

"What?"

Gingka sighed. "If you continue being so high- strung about this whole thing I'll just get a flight to some other place and give you a holiday." This got Astri's attention. She growled at Gingka with a manic expression on her face. Her bangs shadowed her face as her eyes seemed to grow darker. She leaned across the table and glared at Gingka, who slowly backed away from the teen, intimidated by her reaction. "What did you say?"

"N-Nothing-"

Astri's eyes blazed with fury as she pounced on a terrified Gingka who ran. Unfortunately for Gingka, Astri was an extremely fast sprinter. As she lunged for his throat, she felt someone tackling her to the ground. Rubbing her head, she looked up to see Chris tightly restricting her and Gingka smiling, relieved.

"GET OFF ME, CHRIS!" She yelled. Chris winced but still held on to her until Da Xiang came and pushed her away. She let out a feral growl at the Pegasus blader who was too busy catching his breath. "Gingka Hagane, if you ever say that to me ever again, you. Will. _Die._ Did I make myself clear?" Gingka nodded, frightened.

"Y-Yes..."

Astri sighed. Gingka was lucky he wasn't injured from that. Holiday? _Holiday?_ At a time like this?! What was that blader thinking?

"If you'll excuse us, me and Tithi are having a rematch against Chi-Yun and Aguma," Riley said, shooting a determined look at the Beylin Temple duo. Tithi grinned and they shared a high-five. A small smirk crossed Aguma's face. "As long as you don't start attacking each other again."

Chi-Yun nodded. "And Chi-Yun will make sure to defeat you as well!" He exclaimed. All four of them took their places at the opposite ends of the bey stadium, positioning their launchers and beys. Riley shifted her fusion wheel around before aiming Roe at the stadium. Chi-Yun started the countdown. "3!"

"2!"

"1!"

"Let it rip!"

The four beys spun around each other for a while before Tithi finally called an attack. "Go, Quetzalcoatl!" He yelled. The amber bey headed in Kronos's direction and scored a direct hit on the dark blue bey, causing it to be pushed back. Aguma smirked. "Not bad, Tithi. You've grown stronger. Kronos!" The dark blue bey started pushing back, and soon the two beys were caught up in a heated battle of strength. Chi-Yun turned his attention to the dark green bey spinning in the middle of the stadium.

"Lacerta!" Chi-Yun shouted. The red Balance type launched itself at Roe at full- speed, but Roe was merely buffeted by the huge impact. Chi-Yun was shocked. "That was full power! How did Forest Roe manage to withstand it?!" He said to himself in shock. Riley smiled at this, proud of her choice.

"You see, I set Roe in Defense mode! The double-thickness metal and rubber fusion wheel eats up any attack you throw at us!" She stated triumphantly.

Aguma growled a little as Kronos lost the battle of power. He turned to Chi-Yun. "Switch sides!" The little boy nodded, ordering Lacerta to attack Quetzalcoatl instead. Meanwhile, the attack type bey battled against Roe's seemingly indestructible wall of defense. All seemed to be going well... until Riley decided to call out a special move. "Roe, Volcanic Storm!" Dust red clouds instantly began to form in the sky and they took the shape of a volcano.

"Riley, wait, that'll hit Quetzalcoatl too-" Tithi protested, but it was too late. Missiles red-hot magma was fired out of the volcano and made contact with all the other beys- including Quetzalcoatl. Tithi watched anxiously as his bey started to wobble. He started to lose his temper with his reckless partner.

Roe started going on a rampage again, without any strategy and technique, just unleashing raw power. It's rock-solid defenses caused any bey to bounce off harmlessly. Tithi growled as Quetzalcoatl was knocked aside yet again. "Riley-" He started, a trace of warning in his voice. Riley just ignored him, a look of utter concentration on her face. "Just deal with it, Tithi!" She called. That was the last straw. Tithi lost it with the girl.

"Hey!" Riley snapped as a glowing amber blur collided, the special move not giving in. Both of them started fighting with each other yet again as any shred of teamwork they had left quickly disappeared. Chi-Yun simply raised an eyebrow and started to set up their technique. "Solid Iron Wall!" Both Beylin Temple bladers cried in unison as a yin and yang shaped wall appeared around both of them for a few moments before melting into invisibility.

After a while, Tithi and Riley were _still _battling. They were shouting at each other and Aguma and Chi-Yun were just standing bye doing nothing. Finally, Gingka tried to intervene. "Hey, guys, you're supposed to be-"

"Go Quetzalcoatl, Ascent Spark!"

"Roe, Nature Crash!"

"Never mind..." Gingka trailed off. Astri, clearly displeased, spoke up next. "Have you guys forgotten the meaning of _teamwork?!" _She snapped, causing both of their heads to jerk up. The two kids gasped as they started to understand.

Riley stuttered as she spoke. "Teamwork-" She started. "Teamwork is the key to winning any tag battle!" Astri finished.

They both started feeling a little guilty for being blindsided and reckless. Riley rubbed her neck as she turned to her partner. "Sorry, Tithi...I really need to practice more in tag battles," She apologized, sheepish. Tithi looked pretty remorseful as well. "No, I should have tried to explain things instead of losing my temper with you," He replied.

"But I was the one who-" Tithi cut the small girl off. "Never mind about that, we have a battle to win!" Riley grinned. She tiptoed and whispered something- probably a strategy- into Tithi's ear. A small smile slowly spread across his face and he gave his friend a thumbs up. Then, both Quetzalcoatl and Roe began to head towards the other two beys together at a high speed. The two children smirked as they simultaneously called out their special moves.

"Ishtar Impact!"

"Nature Crash!" However, their technique was extremely unconventional. Quetzalcoatl glowed amber and slammed into Roe full force, giving the heavy bey an extra speed boost and furthering its already massive attack power. The two bey spirits appeared- a glowing snake deity and a deer with deadly horns- and they battled against the wall. Soon, multiple crack lines formed and the iron wall shattered, causing Roe to skid and slam heavily into Lacerta and Kronos.

Tithi smirked as Aguma stared at them with a shocked expression on his face. "We used the concept of bowling! And Roe's the bowling ball! As it's extra heavy, the force and energy produced are greater than Quetzalcoatl's!" He explained.

"Amazing," Chris muttered as he saw the plan that his little sister had concocted.

Chi-Yun assumed a fighting stance. "But Chi-Yun's not finished yet! Lacerta!" The red bey headed for Quetzalcoatl, but Roe suddenly moved in front and ate up the hit.

Both of them nodded at each other. "Let's finish this!"

"Quetzalcoatl!"

"Roe!"

"Joint Special Move, Mythic Springs!"

Aguma and Chi-Yun growled as they counterattacked fiercely. "Joint Special Move, Tartarus Hurricane Blade!"

The rest of the group watched in amazement as Riley and Tithi's bey spirits merged together, creating an amber coloured deer with small wings and a longer tail. Spiked amber vines rose up and wrapped around the hurricane that surrounded Kronos's scythe. Gold and green sparkles danced around the two special moves, turning into petals which formed a storm around the vines. Finally, Kronos's scythe cracked and the hurricane was blown apart.

Smoke filled the arena and then faded, revealing a barely spinning Roe and Quetzalcoatl that fell over...

Right after Kronos and Lacerta did.

"ALL RIGHT!" Tithi and Riley cheered as they high-fived, celebrating their victory and newfound teamwork. Chi-Yun and Aguma looked slightly surprised by the last burst of strength, but they were smiling nonetheless. Just as the four bladers walked up from the stadium, Gingka's phone rang.

He picked up the phone. "Hi, this is Gingka Hagane." An awkward silence passed. "Oh, hey! What's up?" A while passed and Gingka smirked slightly. "Oh, _sure, _I'll go. Hope to see you soon. Bye!" He ended the call and Astri gave him a frosty glare. "Hagane," She started. "I don't like the look on your face. And I think it's best if you tell me what's happening before I beat the crap out of you." Gingka gulped and looked at her serious face.

"Um... I- Julian from Europe called. He says he's inviting us to a holiday in Europe and I said yes." As soon as he had finished, he looked around pleadingly for help. All he got were indifferent stares. _You're dead, _Yu mouthed to Gingka and he froze.

"A holiday." Several moments of silence passed as Astri's brain processed the information.

"Too bad," She decided, deathly calm. "I still get to beat the crap out of you anyway."

* * *

"Ow..." The teen said as he landed on the ground next to his bey. Skye caught her bey. She strode up forward and pressed the blade of her sword to his neck.

"Trust me, _Kage, _I know you work for Skia." She snarled, anger filling her eyes. "And I know he works there too."

"And why would I tell you that? You may look strong, but inside you're just a-" He was cut off has the pressure of the blade increased. The fury in her eyes hardened into a icy cold glare that seemed to petrify anyone- yes, even Kage. The teen went quiet immediately.

"And next time-" She said, finally lifting her sword away from Kage's throat. The boy's fingers went to his neck to ensure that the blade still wasn't there. He cowered slightly in fear under her harsh glare. The next words scared him even more.

_"You won't be so lucky."_

* * *

**Chris: *Monotonously reading* The authoress is currently unavailable. She wants you to know that Skye and Krista don't actually make an official appearance until much later. As in, around *Counts* at least seven to ten chapters later. Also, I am playing her Omega Ruby game right now. *Is releasing Latios and shinies***

**Nile: Woah, that was a long speech.**

**Chris: I know. *Continues to delete stuff, like my level 100 Xerneas***

**Nile: Can I try that game?  
**

**Chris: Sure. *Hands it over***

**Nile: *Releases shiny Zekrom, hovering over release button for Nyx the Absol***

**Would you like to release Absol?**

**Y-**

**Dynamis: *Insane grin on face* I'M BACK! *I am bound and gagged* **

**Me: MMPH! (Translation: HEY!)**

**Nile: YOU ACTUALLY DID IT?  
**

**Dynamis: Yup!**

**Chris: But how?**

**Dynamis: I invited all her OCs to a Christmas party and then kidnapped her? ^.^ *Creepy, insane smile on face* Now time to kill her... Critiques welcome and please review, because I WILL DESTROY THIS FANFIC! MWAHAHAHAHAHA!**

**Me: MMMMMMMMMMMPH! MMMM MMM MMPH! MMMMPH MM MMPH MMMMMMMMM! (Translation: You've officially lost it! Also, LET ME GO! HEY! SOMEONE HELP ME!)**


	36. Chapter 36

**Hi, I'm finally back with another chapter. And why are you all here? Why aren't you reading Scattered Hearts by lunacrest? Trust me, it's much more worth your time. I suck.**

**Nile: Wait... how did you get free?**

**Chris: Rescued by Dynamis.**

**Nile: Didn't Dynamis kidnap her?**

**Chris: She has an Espeon named Dynamis.**

**Dynamis: *Is getting mauled at the side by a shiny Zekrom, a Latios, Dynamis the Espeon, and Nyx the Absol***

**Me: *Feigning ignorance* The song in this chapter is Lost. ENJOY! :)**

* * *

"DIE!" There was an enraged scream as a furious Astri chased Gingka around the villa. Everyone winced as they heard something crash and break in the distance. They certainly didn't want to be involved when it came to Astri's rage mode. Yet another thing was sent flying as shouts filled the air. They saw Astri leap out of a bush, running after a terrified Gingka with Starlight racing by her side. "HELP ME!" Gingka shouted, but no one came to offer help.

Finally, after several moments had passed and Astri was about to destroy the villa, Chris spoke up slowly. "Do you think that we should stop her from annihilating everything?" There was a long silence. "Any volunteers?" Silence again. Chris gulped. _What made me want to take on this suicide mission?_

"Good luck," Yu smirked, a very unusual expression for him. He and Tithi were obviously eager to watch the scene. Riley ran back into the villa and soon came out carrying a box of popcorn. All of the bystanders crowded around to grab a few handfuls. Chris just sighed and face-palmed before approaching the rabid girl. He attached Orion to his launcher before tapping her with _extreme _caution. He instantly regretted it. Astri came flying out at him.

He launched Orion and started running as Astri switched her attention to him. A very beat-up Gingka waved innocently and quietly sneaked away. Chris gave him a glare as he continued running for his life. _Someone help please!_

"SERIOUSLY ASTRI JUST CALM DOWN ALREADY!" Chris screeched. He wasn't getting very far on his crutched and Astri soon pounced on him, causing him to lose his balance and fall heavily on the ground. She stared him straight in the eye. "Give me _one _reason why I'm not killing you right now," She hissed. Chris's eyes widened, but he said nothing and slowly tried to back away. Finally, Aguma offered something. "Oh come on, it's obvious you two are crushing on each other!"

Both of them shot straight up, a blush creeping onto their faces. "What?! No! Who told you that!" Even Astri was distracted from her little rampage.

"There you are!" Dashan entered the stadium, obviously oblivious to what had happened. He surveyed the surroundings. A surprised look crossed his face but he decided to let the matter slide for now. "Er..yeah. Anyway, this came for you." He tossed a package at Chris. Chris winced as the brown package hit his head hard. "How many people are going to injure me today?" He grumbled, grabbing the box and ripping off the paper. Inside was a few bottles of... thick green liquid.

_Hey Chris, thought I would make something for ya. Take half a tablespoon, three times a day. Enjoy! ~Rhea _"Shit. No, Astri, I don't like that look..." Chris muttered before trying to break into a desperate, full-out sprint. "I HATE MEDICINEEEE!" He yelled as he started being chased for the _second _time that day.

* * *

Needless to say, the atmosphere as the group walked towards the airport was pretty gloomy. There was a glare competition going on between Gingka and Astri, Kyoya trying to get their attention so they could have a rematch, a sulking Chris because he was forced to take medicine, and Yu, Tithi, Riley and Seth were feeling the pain. Seth groaned as the two bladers started arguing again. _Can I just put on my mask and be done with things here?_

They were about to board their plane, but they were all in a really bad mood by then, unusually silent for once. Even the screaming fest between Gingka and Astri had dwindled to nothing but glares. Yu's eyes narrowed as he saw a strangely familiar teen board the plane but he didn't pay any attention to it. He had messy black hair and was wearing a light red shirt and brown jeans. However, he couldn't see his face, so Yu couldn't confirm who he was.

Just as the last person- Seth- was about to step on, an explosion threw him off. The magenta haired teen let out a shocked gasp as he tumbled onto the floor.

"Seth!" Tithi called, concerned. "What in the world just happened?! Are you OK?!"

The teen grunted as he stumbled to his feet. He nodded. "Fine." He whipped out Guardian Angel, ready to attack. Finally, the blacked haired boy turned around, green eyes boring into them. Chris gasped. "K-_Kage?!" _The teen smirked. Aside from the clothing change, he was exactly the same as last time- pure evil. Werewolf spun steadily at the entrance of the plane. That was then a few other people walked up. Kaiian and Dynamis was there, along with some other surprising faces.

One was a complete stranger. He had straight hair the colour of peanut butter that almost covered his eyes, and he wore a pair of thick black glasses. He wore a dark blue shirt that had a bloody dagger on it, a black Skia jacket, baggy black jeans and white sneakers. He looked to be around the same age as Kaiian, and slightly shorter and stockier. A dark brown and light yellow bey spun in front of him.

The other was Saphyr. She looked the same- just this time, her thick, unruly sea green locks were tied up in a normal loose ponytail. She wore a different outfit this time- a pale yellow blouse with white gloves, a short white skirt and knee-length black tights. Kitsune darted around from side to side.

"Saphyr?!" Chris exclaimed, shocked. The girl smirked craftily, making the Orion blader back away a little. "Oh, we had a little deal. If I worked with them, I could have you. Now who wouldn't turn down that offer?" Chris barely had time to launch Orion and dodged the shadowy tendrils that Dynamis sent at him.

_The sound of every beating heart __  
__Is music to my ears __  
__The melody is torn apart __  
__When listening through tears __  
__Is it too soon, or am I too late? __  
__How have I done? __  
__The words still echo but __  
__I'm not repeating one_

Yu and the other launched their beys quickly. Tithi and Riley quickly attacked Dynamis and Saphyr, only to be hopelessly overpowered despite their newfound team spirit. Astri battled Kage and seemed to be winning- until Kaiian ganged up on her. Grumbling, Kyoya and Gingka quickly joined in. Meanwhile, that left Seth to deal with the last boy.

"So I'm battling the one who betrayed Skia? How interesting. Now I'm Glen, and I'm your... _replacement." _The boy hissed. "This is my bey, Element Llama. And my bey is a Cyber bey, which means that its created using technology and high-tech equipment." Seth just glared at him and Guardian Angel slammed hard into Llama.

As Guardian Angel circled around the brown bey, Seth's glare intensified. "Listen, Glen," He started. "I could just make myself forgotten, but I'm not. And it's because I have to prove to my friends and myself that I'm on their side. Get it?" A rainbow aurora surrounded the both of them and everyone looked on in both shock and amazement. "Special move, Wings of Hope!"

Angel's bey spirit appeared, a pale yellow and white angel with large white wings that was tipped with muted rainbow colours at the edge. Those wings turned a brilliant golden and she flared them to their full length and glory, enveloping both him and Glen in a bright white light. When the light cleared, Llama was already wobbling. "Look at him go!" Tithi exclaimed in wonder.

_This is who I'm meant to be __  
__Raise that sun so I can see __  
__Again_

"Seriously? Llama, Camouflage Blend!" Glen called. A burst of different coloured pixels surrounded the brown bey, washing over it and changing its colour scheme to blue. "Now, Bubble Llama, special move, Bubble Guard!" A cloak of foamy bubbled surrounded Llama, protecting it from attacks.

Yu looked around, trying to decide who to battle. Eventually, he decided on Glen, but before he could even call out a move, a dark tendril curled around his neck, cutting off his air supply. He screamed and kicked as he tried to break free. Tithi looked concerned. "Quetzalcoatl, break the shadows!"

The bey glowed amber and struggled against the darkness, but it was eventually overwhelmed and dropped back out. Yu yelled as he struggled to get in air, his muffled words translating to something like "HELP ME PLEASE!"

_One by one __  
__Days seem longer __  
__Let me run __  
__Let me wander __  
__(away)_

Then, his plea was finally answered. A bey easily sliced through the shadow. Everyone's eyes widened as a green blur consumed the entire battlefield, several feathers raining down. When it cleared, Seth, Glen and Astri's beys had stopped. It was _that _powerful. The bey flew back to a hooded figure. Everyone stared at the person in shock.

"Do not consider me to be a friend, or even an ally," Was all the mysterious figure said as she disappeared almost as suddenly as she appeared.

As the battle was going on, Chris decided to help Tithi and Riley. "Orion, Spirit Flare!" He yelled, completely surprising everyone. A blue and white burst of energy completely engulfed the stadium. Saphyr was taken out but Jupiter was still spinning quickly in the arena.

"Jupiter," Dynamis stated, completely emotionless. A dark indigo aura surrounded his bey and a purple tornado was generated, viciously tearing at the three beys. His bey spirit emerged, not a normal Jupiter spirit, but instead, this was a dark purple shadow that took no definite shape and had menacing red eyes. Tithi and Riley were instantly blown back, their beys cracking under the pressure and stopping quickly. Somehow, Orion had managed to survive the attack. Astri's eyes widened in horror as she saw a blast of indigo energy headed Chris's way.

"NO, CHRIS!" Astri yelled, nightmares of that horrible incident flooding her mind, seeming to play before her eyes.

_I wish to leave it all behind __  
__And never to return __  
__It seems avoiding what is mine __  
__Is not the way to learn __  
__Ring around the rosie __  
__No one really knows me __  
__Ashes to ashes__  
__The walls fall down_

_Not again... someone I loved... taken away..._

The nightmare had stopped, and Skia had retreated...

_But now another one has been taken._

_This is who I'm meant to be __  
__I am lost so mentally __  
__Again _

_One by one __  
__Days seem longer __  
__Let me run __  
__Let me wander __  
__(away)_

* * *

**Hope you enjoyed and-**

**Dynamis: I HATE YOU NYX! I REALLY HATE YOU!  
**

**Luna: I want to kill you now. *Whips out chainsaw***

**Nile: HELP! *Is being chased by Tsuki***

**Rago: What am I doing here?**

**Everyone: AAAHHHHH!**

**Rago: AAA- Wait, so what am I doing here?**

**Me: I DON'T KNOW! *Teleports him away and throws Espeon plushy at Dynamis***

**Dynamis: Well there's no way a plushy can hurt- *Espeon plushy catches flames and hits him* Ow...**

**Me: Sorry for the long wait! I had... *Leans in and pauses for dramatic effect* _School. First day of school. _*Cue simultaneous gasps* Anyway, critiques welcome and please review! AND MWAHAHAHA CHRIS HAS BEEN KIDNAPPED!**


	37. Chapter 37

**Hai guys, yes, I am alive. Sorry for not updating this earlier (if you even missed me). I had no motivation to write this fanfic and focused more on my other stories. Also, if you read my story Imperfections, you'll know that I am depressed. It was really, really bad yesterday. Don't worry, I won't rant. I did that in the second chapter (the final chapter) of Imperfections already. Read that if you want. I'm sorry for the short chapter, I am still kinda down and everything, but I am a little better. :) That was literally the first time in like a long time I used a smiley face in a chapter. Means I must be getting back to normal. Please enjoy~**

* * *

_It's all your fault. They were all taken because of you._ The thought echoes miserably in her mind. She glances around at her surroundings- the lone hotel room she's staying in is empty and dull, just like her eyes, staring blankly at the wall in front of her.

After all, it's because of her, wasn't it? Dynamis was taken; she wasn't looking out for him, and she couldn't get him back; she was too weak and he was too far gone.

And then now Chris had been kidnapped by Skia. She had failed to help him, to be of assistance. She wasn't fast enough. And this was the consequence. She opened the window and glanced at the night sky,

trying to read the stars. Sighing, she gave up after a while. They weren't giving her any answers. She wasn't the one who was able to read the stars to predict the future- Dynamis was always far better at that. At the name, she cringes inside, hurting.

Are the stars mocking her for being so weak, so pathetic? They twinkle and shine brightly against their background of a deep midnight blue. From far away, one star is just one bright white dot that's visible to her, but now it seems so big, and she seems so small, helpless, lost...

She just doesn't know what to do anymore.

She curls up into a ball, breaking down as tears flow from her eyes, messy lavender hair hiding her face. She doesn't see the translucent figure behind her- the ghostly golden bey spirit of the young woman dressed in elegant robes. Starlight can't stand it. She doesn't like to see people sad, and this was her friend. She cautiously wraps the teenager in a embrace, knowing that Astri's blind to her- for now. But the girl feels an odd sense of warmth and comfort flowing through her.

Astri opens her eyes slightly, tinted red from all the crying, and tilts her head up. She can't see a way out- and she just wants someone, anyone to be there, be there for her. She falls asleep, broken by all the memories she had experienced that day.

Starlight watches sadly. _Your wish came true, Astri... It came true..._

* * *

She opens her eyes again, her body aching from sitting on the hard wooden floor. She stands up, too numb to hurt more. Almost robotic, she walks towards the bathroom and catches a quick glimpse of herself in the mirror. Her waist-length hair is all frizzy and tangled and her eyes are red and sunken. She looks hollow, haggard... She washes up and walks downstairs to meet the rest of the friends. They wear equally serious expressions.

No one says anything. They're afraid of her reaction. They just look at her with a slightly tired and sympathetic expression, before silently turning away to get breakfast.

She nods slightly to them, like _I'll be OK,_ and then she quietly follows them to the buffet.

Starlight is following her all the time, invisible to everyone. _Astri, please be alright..._ she prays silently.

The teen walked out, glaring at her newly fixed Comet Starlight. It sparkles softly in the early morning light, but that contrasts greatly to Astri's sour mood. She clenches her fist, fingers curling tightly around the bey, ignoring the slight pain as the sharp ridges dug slightly into her skin. So what if her bey was powerful? It wasn't fast enough. It had been useless in the face of danger- when her friends needed help. Utterly useless- like her.

"Stupid bey," she whispers harshly, too weary and angry at the world. "Stupid fate." She glares at the unseen stars hidden in the light, silently cursing at the gods for making their lives so complicated. She didn't care about whatever punishment.

"STUPID LIFE..." She mutters loudly, causing everyone else to hear her. They turn around, slightly shocked. Tithi, Riley and Yu looked unsure of what to do. Gingka gave her a worried look, clearly concerned by the outburst. Kyoya just snorted and looked away, clearly uncaring as usual. Seth just hung his head low, slightly guilty. After all. he had played a part in this. Astri stared at her friends. No one dared to step forward. Whatever.

She walked into the bey park, whipping out Starlight and launching it half-heartedly into an empty stadium. In response, Starlight's spin is rather lackluster. It chugs around the stadium, the lack of spirit clearly showing in its performance.

_I have to work on my speed._ Astri thinks. _It's because I wasn't fast enough that Chris got kidnapped._ Newfound determination fills her and Starlight glows briefly, its spin speed increasing as it sped quickly around the stadium. _I can't just do it for myself, I have to do it for my friends as well. Chris... well, I kinda, sorta like- NO! He's just a good friend._ She would not let her thoughts get occupied. She wouldn't let Skia hurt any of her friends.

Golden flames surrounded Starlight as it increased its speed even further, pushing itself to the limits.

"Starlight, we can do this. I don't want anyone else to get in trouble."

The golden and silver bey launched itself into the air, as it shot upwards at maximum speed. But maximum speed was never enough. Where did maximum speed get her? Nowhere. She was here to improve her skills. Starlight tries valiantly to increase its speed further, but to no avail. Astri bit her lip, staring at her bey. She had to do it. No matter what it took, no matter how much effort she put in, she would get stronger, faster.

She closes her eyes and whispers a single sentence quietly, as if chanting to herself.

"I believe in you, I believe in everyone..."

Finally, she does it. Stardust skyrockets upwards, and its speed goes up drastically. It spins- paused, perfectly poised in midair for just a fleeting moment- as flames surround it, spreading into the four-pointed star crackling with electricity. But instead of the star descending, it changes.

A ghost of a smile appears on her face. "Fusion move, Infinity Starburst."

All the experiences- first learning that special move, mastering it, being in control, acquiring Infinity Electro Star, the fusion move similarly used by Chris- it all came back to her. The experiences, both good and bad, they helped her grow stronger, _together, _with her partners.

The flaming star spirals outwards around the glowing bey as it descends, cloaked in flames with a rapidly spinning star around it, hurtling towards the ground.

Finally, it lands, and a single metal ridge touches the stadium ground. As soon as that happens, wisps of smoke rise up from the bey, cloaking everything in the thick grey mist.

And then the gold flames and light, the huge amount of pressure and energy hits the arena and a deafening sound rips into the air. She smiles, a bittersweet, faint one. Everyone around the stadium watches in amazement at the display of the sheer amount of raw power in that one special move.

Some kid in the crowd begins to clap slowly, and soon more people follow. Soon, the entire cluster is clapping loudly. "Thank you," she whispers as she slides away, catching her friend's eyes. She's not alone. She was never alone. The rest of her friends- they were still there, and they would support her till the end, she was sure to that.

For the first time since the chaos, warmth and happiness floods her heart, and she smiles, grateful, at everyone, the very people who have helped and fought by her side the whole time.

They would figure it out together.

As friends.

They- well, except Kyoya- gather for a big group hug, and Astri cries again, overcome with emotion. However, it's different from the tears of misery she had shed so many times when she was so down and depressed. They are tears of happiness.

"Thank you all so much," She mumbles, just loud enough for them to hear. She wouldn't be here today without their help.

Everyone in the crowd just "Aww's" at the moment. The group smiles at each other.

However, a voice ruins the special moment. They all turn around at the voice, extremely shocked.

"Gingka? Gingka Hagane?"

* * *

**Just saying, shadowritergirl, Lucas is gonna debut next chapter. You can stay tuned for that. I swapped his place with my other OC because really, it is more suitable. Basically Lucas is going to battle Seth! Who's excited for that? You'll also get a bit more insight about Solace. I seriously don't know if I'm happy or sad now. :( Adding on to the long rant I had in Imperfections, I got scolded by my teacher really badly. It's bad when a teacher insults you to your face... right? Never mind. I am probably being overdramatic. That's all. Critiques welcome and please review if you want to see Quetzalcoatal in future chapters ^_^**


	38. Chapter 38

***Waves* I am back! :) Sorry for not updating this earlier, I had massive writer's block with story and I am in a bad mood today. But who cares about my bad mood! Luna's feeling depressed (You would have known if you read her rant in Scattered Hearts) so I want YOU to go comfort her. Review, PM her, whatever. She's my BFF and I hate seeing her like this.**

**Dynamis: For once... you actually make sense.**

**Of course I do! I'll tell you about my bad mood later. Hey, Luna's not the only one who needs to rant!**

**Seth: G-r-e-a-t. Also... this chapter doe...**

**^.^ Sorry QueensKhioneandFernis (Please tell me if you have a short form for that because this lazy potato over here does not want to spend too much effort onn this) if this chapter was horrible. I'm tired and thus this chapter was rushed and crappy. Also the battle got shifted to next chapter. Woohoo for boring information chapter. Enjoy if that's possible.**

* * *

The ginger-haired boy smiled slightly as his icy blue eye glints in recognition. "I have something to talk to you about. And I believe it's important," He says, leaving Gingka confused. What could possibly be so important? And what on earth did Wales know that he didn't? As Wales briskly walked off, Gingka waved before quickly following him.

Suddenly, someone grabbed him from behind. It was Astri and she did not look very happy. "Now, mister, where do you think you're going? If it's important, you take us along." Everyone else nodded while glaring at Gingka. Wales stopped in his tracks and gave them a quick sideways glance. After a while, he shook his head.

"They can't go. Gingka's the only one that we deem on our side," He told them.

Tithi spoke up. "What do you mean 'on our side?' And why did you say 'we'?" He asked, curious. Wales studied them for several moments.

"Come on, Wales," Gingka tried to coax the blader. "They're on my side. We're all friends!" He stated while looking happily at the rest of the group. Seth, however, was standing a little farther away from them and that comment made his head jerk up. He looked at the bladers. _F-friends? We're friends?_

The Cetus blader sighed and nodded. "Fine. But _he_ can't come." He pointed an accusing finger at Seth. The magenta haired teen stared at him in shock and immediately thought of his time as a Skia blader. Did they know? Was that why Wales didn't trust him? No, from the look in his eyes, there was something more, deeper... but he couldn't put his finger on it...

Wales just seemed... _familiar..._

* * *

_"What's your name?" A boy with ginger hair and light blue eyes asked. Seth blinked for a moment. Someone was being friendly to him?!_

_After a while, he finally replied. "My name's Seth. You?"_

_The boy didn't say anything, but instead changed the subject. "How did you get here?" The tension in the air was evident. Both teens stared at each other defiantly before one finally answered._

_"...I don't know."_

* * *

However, as soon as the memory had surfaced, it faded right away. Seth groaned inwardly. Who _was_ he? That boy in the memory? And why were his memories blurry and incomplete?

"Why not?!" Tithi instinctively protected his older brother. "He's my brother and he's coming with me no matter what!" He latched on to Seth- something which the teen found slightly annoying but adorable anyway- and didn't let go. Both he and Yu used their puppy dog eyes... and we all know how everyone reacts to that...

Wales face-palmed mentally. "Whatever..." He groaned. "Come with us. And," He walked straight up to Seth and glared at him, making the blader shrink back in fear. "Be. On. Guard."

-time skip-

The large group of bladers arrived at a large black and silver building. A building which strangely reminded them about Skia, but it wasn't as...well, evil. The presence just wasn't there. They read the faded inscription engraved into the top of the building under small Japanese characters.

_Solace_

Wales dug into his pocket and pulled out Cetus, placing it on a panel in the door- like the Twilight Woods Tournament in China. There was a slight click and the door slid open a fraction. Wales walked in with the group of Legendary and Ourano bladers following close behind. They were led down a long, dimly lit hallway. It reminded them of a prison for some reason, walking towards their doom, which lay in wait silently in the darkness...

But they told themselves that their imagination was probably too fertile for their own good. After all, what harm could Wales do? Wasn't he on their side against Nemesis before?

Tithi and Yu eyed each other nervously. The narrow path seemed frightening to them, as they never knew what was going to come next. They ended up sticking close to Gingka and Seth for security. Their minds were filled with questions. Where were they? What did the "Solace" mean? And what were they going to hear from the Cetus blader?

Abruptly, the sound of Wales' footsteps halted as he stopped at a door with "19" embedded on it. "W...what's that?" Gingka asked. Wales shrugged indifferently as he pushed open the door.

"Me and my brother's room."

The bladers saw a younger teenage boy with ginger hair that reached his shoulders, icy blue eyes and a scar in the shape of angel's wings over his left eye. An ebony jacket concealed most of his white T-shirt with a black flame design, and he wore black jeans and black combat boots. He also had a silver chain necklace around his neck as well as black studded gloves. He was sitting on a bed occupying the left side of the room.

Being an innocent young child, Tithi said the first thing that came to mind. "...You wear a lot of black, mister."

"I do," The teen answered without a trace of humour in his voice. Tithi backed away at the harsh tone, hiding behind Yu. Wales sighed and walked over to sit next to him. "This is my younger brother, Lucas McKandless." Wales ignored the gasp of surprise from Gingka.

Lucas looked around the room, scrutinizing each blader. Seth shifted uncomfortably as Lucas's unforgiving gaze settled on him for a second longer than the rest. He felt like he had known him from somewhere. From...

"Skia." Lucas finishes his sentence. Seth's eyes widened. No wonder the blader seemed so familiar. But... he couldn't remember _exactly..._

"You were the boy with Sanguis Coyote, weren't you?" Seth tilts his head. He hadn't heard that bey's name in a long time. But yes, when he was under the control of that horrible machine, he did own that blood red bey. _I can't believe I hurt everyone whom I now call friends so badly, _Seth thought as he closed his eyes in shame.

Seth turns away slightly, causing his friends to look at him in concern. Seth opened his eyes and stared at the ground, too afraid to make eye contact with anyone else.

Wales started to speak again. "Anyway, we're part of Solace." Everyone looked at each other before Astri decided to ask the obvious.

"What's Sol-" She was cut off by Lucas who glared at Seth while talking.

"Solace is an organization that dedicates itself to helping bladers hurt by Skia to recover both physically and mentally. For example, I-" The teen suddenly fell quiet, his voice cracking slightly. It was opposite to the cold, tough front he had put up previously. Wales gave his brother a quick comforting glance before picking up from where Lucas had left off.

"What he means is, our father works in Skia and brought Lucas there," Wales's voice dropped to a whisper at the last few words. "I'll tell you the rest another time when he's comfortable enough to talk about it."

Lucas took over again. "There's another blader who's suffered nerve damage because someone betrayed her for Skia, and someone who's sister works there. He's pretty new. As for our leader... well, you'll find out when you meet her, I guess. It depends whether she trusts you. That clear?"

Everyone nodded slowly. "Good," Wales said. "And it's best if you don't reveal any of this to Skia. They would know too much for their own good."

"And," Lucas joined in. "If any of you 'accidentally' informs my father that I'm here, I will personally kill you and rip your throat to pieces." The bladers gulped. Lucas was sure violent. _Not _one to be messed with for sure.

"If everything's clear, I think all of you can be trusted to be on our side, even-" He was interrupted by Lucas who was looking at Seth with a death glare and pointing at him. Seth felt like a dagger was violently twisting inside his heart as Lucas spoke, his words drenched with venom.

"If _he _beats me in a bey battle, then I'll trust them."

* * *

**Yup, so Lucas and Seth know each other! QueensKhioneandFernis, you can PM me the details of Lucas's father if you want him to be part of the action! ^_^**

**Astri: This was a serious chapter.**

**Because I'm in a bad mood. Also, I'll start accepting villain OCs. (Only 5 accepted)**

**Name:**

**Age:**

**Appearance:**

**Physique:**

**Personality:**

**Bey: (If any, please elaborate with special moves and detailed description of the bey)**

**Aura: (Again, only with bey)**

**Talents**

**Weaknesses**

**Friends:**

**Enemies:**

**Background:**

**Main mode of attack: (Knives? Technology? etc.)**

**Trivia:**

**Now for Nyx's special rant:**

**1\. Two people stole my photos on Instagram. Come on, please give credit. Lazy potatoes who actually put in effort to draw or edit things deserve the credit. Or at least this potato feels so.**

**2\. Luna is sad. PLEASE CHEER HER UP OKAY?! I'm not a very popular fanfiction authoress, but I will do anything to help my friends. Anyone who reads my story, PLEASE go onto her page and cheer her up.**

**3\. My teacher. I had to meet her for half an hour plus because I didn't write my name ._. And I'm terrified of her! She also made me almost late for my Bowling cca. Well, I took my anger out on the pins. :) I don't care about people saying I have anger management.**

**4\. Yet another teacher. My howwible Aesthetics teacher says my phoenix toy design is too small and I have to recut all the wood. COME ON! SERIOUSLY?! 5 HOURS PLUS WASTED?! WHYYYYYYY?! I spent ages working on my toy design and got in finalized, cut all the woods. OHH Now you say its not right! Well nice to hear that! *Yells sarcastically***

**5\. My parents are being super irrititable for some reason. I had to literally beg them to use the computer. And they were scolding me for typing fanfiction, and they even want to ban me:(**

**I'm angry, pissed and upset if you can't tell. Happy Chinese New Year people. I want to freaking delete my account but Luna will just break her phone by spamming me. That's probably the only reason why I'm still on this site.**

**Critiques welcome and please review. Nyx out.**


	39. Chapter 39

**Lazy potato is back~! XD Sorry I haven't been on here for a while. I've been busy with exams. I had Philosophy and Chinese tests this week and I had to study :P I should just consider myself lucky that it was Chinese composition writing and that I'm actually good at Philosophy. Like, in the first lesson I tried to troll the teacher and STILL got the answer correct. Oh and of course I have a Maths day on Monday that I need to prepare for, an English story due next term (IDEAS ANYONE?!), a Chemistry test next term, My Aesthetics project due on Wednesday-**

**Dynamis: STAPH WITH THE RANT ALREADY!  
**

**What? Consider yourself lucky that I was studying like crazy so I could get this chapter up. I think I can pass this Chemistry test at least! #HardWorkingNyx Ok, maybe not. Anyway~ *Bowls Dynamis down the lane*****  
**

**Dynamis: :'( Nyx, why? Why did you join bowling? Not art or any other crap?**

**Hey, I wanted to join art but never got to go for the trial because my dad didn't allow me too. Apparently a lot of people said I could have actually gotten in! *pouts* Anyway, enough with the rant, on with ze chapter! (Um, Sorry Queen, you didn't exactly describe Lucas's bey's details in your PM, so I had to create a bey profile myself. No need to feel bad, it's my fault that I didn't specify ^^)**

* * *

"…What?" Seth said, beads of cold sweat running down his neck. He stared nervously at the ginger haired boy across him. Lucas glared at him with no trace of sympathy in his icy eyes. _What did I do to him? I can't remember- Damn you Skia. You made me hurt so many people. _The entire room fell silent for a few minutes, but to them, it seemed like an eternity. Finally, Lucas broke the silence and spoke up.

"You heard me. I'm only going to allow you to be on our side if that _jerk _there beats me. Which is highly impossible. I'm sure he remembers what he did…" Seth felt everyone looking at him with a confused look on their face. He didn't blame them. He was puzzled right now, and he silently blamed himself for letting Corisande brainwash him.

He felt as if he was all alone, surrounded by darkness, with a single, blinding spotlight picking him out. And then, eyes started appearing out of nowhere, with accusing expressions showing clearly in them. Voices started to whisper insults about the monster he was when he was under Skia's control. A screen appeared in front of him, playing all the incidents where he had helped Skia to hurt someone. He fought back the tears in his eyes when he saw how horrible he had been back then.

_No. Don't cry. _A faint voice echoed softly at the back of the head. _Be strong for yourself. Your friends. Your parents…_

_Yes, I have to be strong… for the future…_

"I'll do it," Seth whispered, and everyone stared at him in surprise. He forced himself to speak in a louder, firmer tone. "I _said, _I'll do it. I'll battle you… " He paused, his eyes on the blader across the bed, trying to figure out what role he had played in his life. _"Lucas." _The teen remained impassive, but a small smirk crossed his face after a while as his icy blue eyes met Seth's dark honey ones. "I guess we'll see about that."

-At Solace's battle arena-

Everyone walked through the door and gasped in amazement. In front of them was a huge, airy room, well-lit with a grandstand, five stadiums, and some weird machines that they would never understand. Lucas pointed at one of the huge stadiums and took his place. Seth rushed over to stand at the opposite side. Taking a closer look, Seth noticed that it's seemingly shiny surface was actually covered with several dents and scratches. Seth raised an eyebrow. "You must like this arena," He commented while reaching for his bey.

Lucas's eyes narrowed. "Shut up. We came here to battle, not to chat." He whipped out his bey. It seemed pretty, yet its features were harsh. It was mainly a very pale blue, almost snowy white, and it was streaked with a midnight blue. It looked like an attack type from its fusion wheel, but its performance tip suggested that it was a… stamina type? "3," Lucas started, dragging his launcher and bey to aim at the center of the arena.

"2," Seth shot back as he carefully positioned his white launcher.

"1!" Gingka, Astri and Yu called, anxious for Seth to win. Their relationship with Solace were all riding on this one battle. Next to them, Wales sighed slightly. His little brother could go a _little _overboard with his stubborness sometimes.

"Let it rip!" Both bladers shouted. The two beys landed in the arena and immediately started to circle around each other. Seth's anylactic mind zoomed in on Lucas's bey._ Hmm… His bey seems to be both an attack and stamina type. My Defense type Angel won't be able to outlast it, and my bey's defense cancels out his attack power. Which only leaves one option-!_

He pointed at his bey. "Guardian Angel! Strike first, Wings of Hope!" He yelled, in an attempt to take advantage of Lucas's bey's inferior defense power.

There was a burst of light as his bey spirit- the guardian angel appeared, her wings spreading out to their full glory. A pale gold light coated them and surrounded both beys. When the energy faded away and Lucas's bey- whose name was still unknown- was freed from its prison, it was revealed to be spinning steadily. Seth gasped. "B-but how?!"

A sly smile formed on his face. "I know you and your strategies too well. My Snowstorm Khione can defend against that special move by rotating the ridges on its fusion wheel, creating a icy cold gust of wind that deflects and pushes against the walls of the attack."

_Not good… but attacking is the only option I have… _Seth gritted his teeth and commanded Angel to attack. And then attack again. And again. The sound of his bey constantly slamming into Khione rang unpleasantly in his ears. And the strange thing was… Khione was barely wobbling. Considering the damage it had taken, it's spin power should have decreased by now. But the only thing that seemed that seemed to consume its energy was the time ticking by, draining energy from the bey.

Seth growled in frustration. This was a hard battle. His usually flawless sense of strategy didn't affect Lucas, who seemed to have a way to counter his every move. His attacks- for some reason- did little to no damage to Khione's spin. It just caused Angel to lose stamina from all the attacks.

Finally, Lucas ordered Khione to go on the offensive. The bey seemed to approach Guardian Angel in slow motion, before striking repeatedly with a flurry of attacks. "E-escape!" Seth called, stuttering, but Snowstorm Khione wouldn't allow that. It kept up the attacks, and was still going strong. It was then Seth finally noticed. He found the answer to why Khione spun so steadily.

Its fusion wheel was separate from its performance tip.

Yup, there was no mistake- The ice blue and navy ridged fusion wheel and the broad performance tip functioned completely independently. Which meaned… Seth had been attacking only the _fusion wheel. _The rest of the bey didn't take any damage, which was why it was still spinning at a high speed.

_What do I do? _He felt very alone once again, back in that dark place with nothing but insults being thrown at him. He picked out one of the sets of eyes amongst the many. It was large, childlike, blue-grey. Tithi's. It gave him a worried but encouraging look, as if saying, _You can do it, bro. I believe in you. _Seth closed his eyes to rid himself of that image.

_I just can't let everyone down… this is my chance to redeem myself. If I calm down, I'll find a way. There has to be a way for everything…_

_"Why did you come here?" Seth asked. He and Lucas were taking a break after a round of especially intense training. Lucas's eyes instantly became shadowed. After a while, he finally looked at Seth. The boy had a completely terrified and serious look in his eyes. Whatever the reason, it was important. Lucas sighed. "You're my only friend right now, Seth. I guess I'll tell you. It all began like this…" _

_"What?!" Seth gasped, his eyes filled with horror, instinctively reaching out to give his friend a comforting hug. Lucas flinched slightly at the touch, but otherwise didn't resist it. He deserved that, after what he had been through. No one deserved to be treated that way, not at all, especially not when he was just a little kid. He had no idea… "I'm so sorry, Lucas. I didn't know…"_

_Lucas looked up, his gaze soft. "It's OK. Anyway… we'll be friends, right? You won't just hurt me in the end like my father?"_

_"Of course not. I'll never leave you behind like that… and I definitely won't hurt you…" _

_"I'll never leave you behind like that…"_

Seth remembered. It was just one memory, but he knew who Lucas was. His background. And why Lucas hated him. Because in the end, Seth just turned out to be someone who hurt him. Just when he thought he had a true friend, Seth turned his back on him. _Left him behind. _It wasn't his fault- that was around the time he was put under the brainwashing experiment. But Seth wished that he had tried, just a little harder- for his friend.

"I'm sorry," Seth murmured, barely audible. Angel started to spin faster, generating a breeze that blew through the stadium. Khione skidded back.

"…What?" Lucas asked, confused.

"I said," Angel slammed into Khione's performance tip, causing the bey's spin to decrease, landing an effective hit for the first time. "I'm _sorry. _I know something about you now. Why you're so secretive, and your background. I know about your father-" At this point, Lucas's eyes widened in fear and he instinctively glanced over his shoulder, as if checking to see if anyone was watching him. However, as much as Seth knew it might break his old friend, he had to continue. "…And I know you hate me for leaving you behind, for hurting you and turning my loyalty to Skia…"

"S-Stop. Just stop it," Lucas said, backing away, small traces of tears glinting like silver at the corners of his eyes. Seth's sudden turnaround had pushed him to his breaking point. The memories came flooding back- both the horrible ones of his dark past and the happy yet regretful ones of the two of them- up until Seth suddenly turned into a jerk.

Finally, he cracked. A tear rolled down his cheek as a white aura began to surround him. "I-I- go away. I hate you. I hate everything about y-y-y-" He was unable to go on. Wales watched as he saw his brother slowly give in to the emotions boiling inside him. He decided to speak up.

"Lucas…" The teen snapped to attention and brought his gaze to settle on him. "You can't bring yourself to say that… because deep down, you know that you still consider him as one of your best friends, and…you want to be friends with him again…"

Lucas hung his head. What he hated wasn't Seth. His opponent was something he just found easy to take his anger out on. Seth gave him an excuse to be angry. But the betrayal wasn't the actual source of his hatred. He hated _himself _as well. For not trying to figure out what was wrong with Seth. For just automatically assuming that someone was just hurting him again. The broken friendship was partially his fault.

"N-no Seth… It's also my fault. You get it?" He saw the teen stare blankly at him from across the other side, causing his heart to wrench even more. _"_It's my fault for everything! All this is happening because _MY WHOLE LIFE HAS BEEN SCREWED UP! STOP BEING SO NICE TO ME WHEN YOU KNOW I DON'T DESERVE IT!" _Lucas suddenly lost control of his temper and screeched at Seth, causing him to back up a few steps. _"SPECIAL MOVE, ICICLE FINISH!" _He swept his hand in a circle and Khione's bey spirit emerged.

The spirit bore a strong resemblence to the Greek goddess of snow, Khione. Icicles started to erupt everywhere as a cold frost coated the entire room. They quickly rampaged, as Lucas let his true power run loose. The Angel shielded itself with its wings, but still whimpered as icicles pierced and jabbed against it.

"You don't understand, Lucas. It's my fault because I didn't try hard enough for our sake. I caused you to lose trust further in people. Special move, Bond Prism." Two orbs emerged from the two boys, one white and one gold, and they merged together. It was the very essence of the deep friendship they once had- and both of them wanted it to stay.

A transclucent prism coated the orbs before a rainbow spectrum spread from it and exploded over the stadium.

When the dust cleared, one of them spun ever so slightly, hanging to the last shreds of willpower in its blader.

The other bey had stopped completely.

* * *

**Dun dun dun! I am so evil to you guys XD I just find those cliffhanger-y endings fun. By the way, I have random evidence proving I'm a weird psychic~ (I can actually predict wind, file colours and the number of rice grains for some reason, no joke XD)**

**Me: *Worriedly glances at the sky* The sun's going to come out soon...**

**Friend: No it's not. It seems fine to me. *sun comes out XD***

**Me: Never doubt the psychic.**

**Friend: O.o Do you predict the sun or does it read your mind? **

**More hashtags! Yay! #Nyxthepsychic Just kidding. Anyway, I've also tried out Wattpad, but I found out that Fanfiction is truly better and more friendly~ Here are le replies to reviews!**

**TheMidnightSniper: Aw... now I have TWO people threatening to come after me? I can't delete my page now. But don't worry, I'm better now:D**

**QueensKhioneAndFernis (Might just call you Queen in future XD): I am evil. Thanks for sending me your OC's details! And are you psychic like moi?!  
**

**Ser12rt: I might... thanks for submitting anyway! :D**

**Now, as always, critiques welcome and please review! :) *Salutes* Nyx out!**


	40. Chapter 40

**Hey guys! Here's a new chapter for you. And I'm in a slightly bad mood... scratch that, just a bad mood. Anyway, I'm still typing this chapter while I have a bad mood, so apologies if it sucks in any way. ._.**

**Yeah, my dad called me stupid and retarded twice and indirectly called me stupid again once. And my mum is mad at me for the most trivial reason ever- because I was freaking sarcastic. She's like level 1000000 mad at me now. :'( I feel like my whole life is a mess now. At least it's the holidays, but that means I have to face my parents more and get yelled at by them every day...**

**Anyway, ignore my mini rant up there and please enjoy the chapter.**

* * *

Both Seth and Lucas looked at each other, as if holding some sort of mutual understanding. Then, their gaze traveled downwards shakily towards the bey stadium, curious to see the results. They gasped as they saw the bey that was spinning slowly in place.

It was Guardian Angel.

Snowstorm Khione had stopped spinning, partially wedged in the red-brown cement of the stadium floor. Slowly, Lucas came back to his senses. His shoulders trembled slightly as the tears still sparkled in his eyes. He kneeled down and robotically removed his bey from the crack in the arena before turning away.

Everyone looked at the teen in worry- especially Wales. He was concerned with his younger brother. He hadn't seen him in such a state before- well, before Lucas found him after he escaped from Skia. But he was also scared. Lucas was strong- extremely strong. If Wales said the wrong thing, who knows what might happen when he went on a rampage…

Suddenly, footsteps rang out against the marble floor as the person Lucas least expected made his way over to him. The group's breath caught as Seth gently put a hand on his old friend's shoulder. His light, honey-coloured eyes seemed especially intense, and the brown flecks in them danced about as he looked at the teen. Finally, Lucas dragged his gaze to meet Seth's eyes.

Lucas's ice blue eyes met Seth's warm ones. Seth could see past the tough exterior that the teen fought to keep up every day, but inside to the helpless, frightened blader who just wanted to let his emotions out, who just wanted a shoulder to cry on.

Seth turned to leave, but murmured a sentence that caused Lucas to snap his head up. "I'm sorry I wasn't there for you."

* * *

Lucas's fists clenched tightly as he stared at the wall in frustration. _This is all stupid, _he told himself repeatedly, as if chanting. _Why are you getting so worked up over what he said? _Wales was outside, telling the group some important information or something. He glared at the white space in front of him before his gaze shifted to Khione. The bey sat on the table next to his bed, perfectly still, but it seemed to tell him the answer.

"That's it," Lucas muttered as he exited the room, with Khione in hand.

He easily found the exit- Solace's base was like second nature to him, after all, and rushed out. The teen's grip tightened on the handle as he saw the group walking away from the building, Seth glancing back one final time.

Lucas gritted his teeth. He had a chance to renew his friendship, to let Seth inside, and he was _not _going to let it slip away from his fingers again. He took a deep breath and sprinted out, easily catching up to the group. "Wait!" He called. Seth stopped, recognising his voice. He turned around, an unreadable expression in his light brown eyes.

"I just wanted to tell you…" Lucas paused for a little moment as he took out Khione from his pocket, showing it to Seth. "We're having a tag team tournament in a few day's time. Seth…" He gulped, a little nervous. His eyes strayed from him to the ground. "Would you be my partner?"

The teen's eyes softened and he gently hugged Lucas. "I'd love to."

For the first time since he had found Wales, another little piece of Lucas's heart was slowly healing, the friendship between the two boys sealing the cracks in his soul. Maybe there _was _more to life.

* * *

Seth ran his eyes over his white and rainbow bey, checking it over for any damage before wiping it with a cloth. He sighed slightly, bringing his hand to rest by his side and closing his eyes. The tag battle… it was a chance to restore his friendship with Lucas, yet…

He opened his eyes and looked at himself in the mirror. He didn't want to hurt or let anyone down again. What if Skia was at the tournament and tried to capture him again? What if they succeeded and forced him over to the dark side? He doubted anyone would give him a second chance. He gave a silent order in his mind and the white half-mask appeared.

Seth had never told anyone this. But when the mask appeared, the world seemed different from usual. It was more dream-like, he felt more fuzzy, and the beys were spirits instead. There was, however, one spirit that he could connect with.

He saw the amber snaky dragon appear in front of him in a gentle burst of light. She gazed at him with a calm, wise expression in her dark eyes. This wasn't Tithi's bey spirit, but the actual god herself- Quetzalcoatl. Tithi didn't know, but part of the reason why Seth was saved from the darkness was because he was still needed to protect Tithi.

_What's wrong? _The spirit asked, her tone soft. Seth absentmindedly stroked her and stared at the ground before replying.

_I have the feeling something bad's going to happen. Do you know anything that's going to happen during the tag battle tournament? _Seth asked. Quetzalcoatl closed her eyes and concentrate, trying to get an image of the future. Finally, she looked up regretfully and nodded. _Don't be alarmed, Seth, but I think it's about you. A spirit wants revenge because you killed it-_

The Angel blader gasped- he only knew of one such bey that held such a spirit. He had a sharp intake of breath as his vision whirled and darkened until it was black. A dark red glow formed a blurry outline of a shape, and two black eyes seemed to glow at him in hatred. The red glow had taken the form of…

_Sanguis Coyote._

It's deep voice rumbled, and the dark void he was in seemed to shake slightly. Seth backed away slightly in fear as the coyote growled. It's voice seemed menacing, but sleepy at the same time. It's words were slurred slightly as the blood red light seemed to rise and fall, rise and fall…

_Soon. I will wake soon…_

Seth screamed in terror as the spirit pounced, but a voice called for him in the darkness.

_"SETH!"_

* * *

"Skye?"

The ravenette glanced up from her laptop, staring tiredly at the teal-haired girl beside her. "What is it, Krista?"

The younger girl pointed at the screen of her own computer, her purple eyes hardening as her fingers tightened around her black and purple bey. "I suppose you don't want to go for the tag team tournament." She stated bluntly. "That would mean I can't go, since I'm always with you for them."

She nodded slightly. Suddenly, Krista's fist flew towards her unexpectedly. A small smirk formed on her face as she grabbed it easily, deflecting the attack. Krista smiled at her. "I guess your reflexes are as quick as ever. But honestly, Skye… why don't you beyblade any more? You only battle when neccesary, like when Kage attacked… it's kind of lonely. You were the strongest here before you stopped…"

Skye glanced at the dusty bey on the corner of her table. She had hardly touched it for a long while now. But Krista shouldn't know…

"Sorry, Krista. You don't need to know," Skye replied before unsheathing the sword that was strapped to her back. It had a handle made out of black leather, with white faux diamonds stitched into them. The blade looked like it was made out of crystal, and had a razor-sharp point. The edge of it glinted in the light.

Krista stared at Skye. "What are you doing?"

The girl walked out of the room, swinging her blade around slightly while doing so. Her face was impassive as usual. "Sword practice."

* * *

**Yeah, a little foreshadowing for you. And here's a little question for the chapter. Who's your favourite blader/ character so far and why? (Excluding Lucas for Queen) I just want to see how my OC skills are coming along. Mine is... dun dun dun... Skye! Not telling you why though:3 But there's a scene I really want to write and it's about her... **

**Dynamis: At least I haven't been mentioned in quite a few chapters...**

**Don't jinx that. You know what I can do with my authoress powers.**

**Dynamis: *gulps* I said nothing.**

**Good Dynamis. And here are the replies to reviews:**

**QueensKhioneAndFernis: Thank you! I guess everyone's a psychic at some point in their lives. And I think I answered your question in this chapter. :/**

**TheMidnightSniper: Thanks. And I don't think I'm feeling better now, but I'm not going to delete my account...**

**lunacrest: Because I'm evil. And I hate spam.**

**Please vote on my poll asking which story I should update more. Yeah, I think that's all... Anyway, *salutes* Nyx out! Someone give me a hug? ;~; I think I really need one. *waits* No one...? OK then... *insert forever alone face here :'(* Critiques welcome and please review, anyway...**


	41. Chapter 41

**Yay! Hey guys! Nyx is back and rushing another chapter directly before she's supposed to go to sleep~ So sorry for not updating. I was locked out of my account for a while because my email was disabled, aaand I was at a stay-cation with one of my friends for three days...**

**Dynamis: And I'm back in this chapter... *glares***

**Oh don't be so grumpy. Anyway, this chapter doesn't have any battles, but there's a huge reunion ;)**

**Dynamis: And I'm back. What part of "I hate you" do you not understand?**

**I understand, and it also means "Ich findest du blod" in German. See? I do pay attention in class! ^_^**

**Now, onwards with ze chapter! ^~^ Enjoy! I don't own MFB~!**

* * *

"We're here," Lucas told the group as they approached a large grey building. He glanced around at the crowded area nervously- he obviously hadn't had much experience with large public places- before taking off a gold charm on his silver necklace. Riley raised an eyebrow at this.

"What's that?" She asked, trying to take a closer look and reaching out to touch it. Lucas glared at the girl before batting her hand away harshly. "Hands off," He snapped. Riley pouted a little, clearly not getting along with Lucas.

He fingered the charm before sliding it into his pocket. "Everyone in Solace has one of these golden wing marks to prove that they're a part of the organisation. Wales has a tattoo-" At this, the Cetus blader wordlessly rolled up his sleeve to show them a mark printed on his arm. "And I have that charm. We're not displaying them currently because there may be Skia bladers lingering around somewhere like-"

He gasped as a turquoise streak flew straight past him at a blinding speed and smashing into a teenaged blader, causing the man to grunt in pain and fall. He looked up, gasping. His originally blue eyes had now turned black and a bey fell out of his hand, clattering to the ground.

Everyone looked at the blader who had attacked- but she had a black hood over her. A scowl was etched on her face as she looked at the blader. "You know that disguise isn't enough to fool me… _Glen."_

Astri turned to the teen in shock. The bey on the ground _was _Element Llama, no doubt about that. Her face started to contort into a mask of anger. She wouldn't forgive those people for taking away not just one, but _two _people important to her. They. Would. Pay.

A slightly red aura started to swirl around her as she glared at Glen menacingly, the poisonous look probably enough to kill him. The brown-haired teen was scared. He masked it well, but he knew that Astri was stronger than him. Much, much stronger. He gulped slightly as the girl fingered her launcher, but then sighed in relief as a voice interrupted her.

"Long time no see, _sis," _The Jupiter blader's eyes narrowed as his voice was full of contempt. Astri froze up, and she looked like she was too shocked to do anything. Finally, her sapphire eyes started to fill with tears and she tore away. Dynamis looked at her impassively before grabbing Glen and walking away.

"She deserved it," Was all he said, his cold eyes sweeping over the group, unforgiving gaze seeming to turn each of them to stone. But another, more unfamiliar voice piped up at that moment.

Everyone perked up as they recognised who it was. "If you're really going to be like that, then I will absolutely _crush _you. No one messes around with my friends." Dynamis looked at the girl with a bored expression on her face. Riley smiled at the brunette. "Tsuki!"

The Nightingale blader smirked. She looked like she would beat up Dynamis, but thought against it when she saw the bey attached to his launcher, a dark, sinister aura cloaking it. "And not just me." Three other bladers caught up to her as they glared at the Jupiter blader. Everyone was united now- and they could feel a new energy coursing through them.

Friendship.

Fiona brushed her orange bangs out of her face. "You may be Astri's brother, and I may be a generally nice person, but trust me, I don't let anyone off when it comes to my friends. Especially my closest friend whom I treat as a sister." Astri, who was now a distance away, heard that and turned back to see the four French bladers forming a barricade.

"Yeah! You're just a big meanie, hurting Astri like that! Astri doesn't deserve it at all! She's a nice person!" Rhea yelled, her tri-coloured aura rising up around her. Astri felt a fresh wave of tears coming again.

Then Adira spoke up. "You may overpower us now, but we'll win eventually for sure! We'll get you for everything that you did!" She may not have been an Ourano blader, but her spirit certainly made up for that. She flashed Neige Leopard at Dynamis threateningly.

Astri bit her lip. She had been so selfish, not even glancing at what others had done for her. "Guys…" She walked back to the group and forced herself to look at Dynamis, the two pairs of sapphire eyes clashing. Finally, she yanked Starlight from her belt and flashed it like everyone else was doing. As she looked straight at the blader, she saw something- a semblance of emotion- flickering in his once emotionless eyes.

_Friendship… what does that mean to me? _Dynamis asked himself before his gaze hardened again. _Forget it. My friends destroyed me. I will destroy every one of them in exchange._

"Friendship? That's what you're going to beat me with? That sounds like it came straight out of a My Little Pony episode," Dynamis hissed. "I'm going to make you go through the most terrible time of your lives, just like how you treated me." Something in that voice of his made everyone- even Tsuki- shiver and retreat. A black aura surrounded him as his pupils flashed a blood red.

Astri's eyes widened in horror. _The prophecy… it's coming through… I had hoped it was wrong, but he is being turned by the curse…_

The hooded figure started to turn away, but not before she passed by Astri. "Tell them," Was all she said before walking away. Astri looked at the person in amazement. She had somehow known about both the procephy and what Astri was thinking.

Tsuki and Dynamis glared at each other before whipping out their beys. However, a voice from the speaker cut them off as the DJ's face appeared on the screen. "Hello, everyone, and welcome to the one and only-" He paused for dramatic effect. "Fiery Seas Tag Battle Competition! I'm pleased to annouce that the first round matchups have been decided. Feel free to take a look!" His face fizzled out to show the matchups.

Suddenly, a strangled cry emerged from Rhea's throat. Adira froze in horror as she started to tremble.

Because Dynamis and Glen's faces were next to Rhea and Adira's.

Yu's emerald eyes scanned the screen before finding his and Astri's faces. He gasped as he saw who they had been matched up with.

_Nile and Rafael._

* * *

**DUN DUN DUN! Nile is back~:D And who exactly is Rafael? I left you at ANOTHER cliffy because I'm ****evilllll~ :D **

**Astri: Why aren't I your favourite character, Nyx? *glares***

**Skye: I don't really care about any of this... Anyway, I do play a big part in the sequel.**

**HEY I DIDN'T SAY THERE WAS GOING TO BE A S-**

**Astri: *Reads storyboard* The sequel is going to be called "Of D-**

**I SAID STOP! AND READERS, YOU HEARD NOTHING ABOUT A SEQUEL! HERE ARE THE REPLIES TO LE REVIEWS~!**

**S.H.E.N.K.A.I.N.000: Thanks! Seth _does _seem pretty epic... And to answer your question, I have no idea. Absolutely zero. Maybe writing a story about why there's an extra hour in the day in the first place? ^_^**

**QueensKhioneAndFernis:*Returns hug* I hope you get through that tough time soon. Astri sends her love from here:3 And yup, their friendship is returning~ And thanks so much!**

**lunacrest: (FOLLOW HER NOW I SHALL WIN THE SHOUTOUT WAR LUNA) Thanks so much... and there'll be more personality shown in the tag battle arc:)**

**I'm going to make this into a series. Question of the chapter: Favourite OC bey? Mine is a tie between Roe, Starlight and Equia! Sorry Skye ^.^ Anyway, critiques welcome and please review~! *Salutes* NYX OUT! :D**


	42. Chapter 42

**New chapter up! ^~^ I have had too much inspiration for Pokemon stories, so I didn't update, plus I was planning out my books and stuff. Yay C:**

**Dynamis: *Sulks in corner***

**I can rent it out to you if you want to stay there permanently.**

**Dynamis: ...**

**Adira: Since they're talking and this chapter has a part about me, I'll do the disclaimer! Nyx really hopes you enjoy it and she doesn't own her loaned laptop and MFB, but she owns the plots and characters! :D**

"N-no…" Yu's eyes were wide and shocked as he stared at the screen blankly. He took a few steps back, as if the screen was a monster. Astri snapped out of her surprise quicker and walked over to her partner, draping an arm around him.

Her blue eyes were filled with concern. "Yu?" There was no response from the small boy. "Yu, what's wrong?" The boy dropped to his knees, still not answering her question.

"N-Nile…" He murmured. "And Rafael… Why?!"

Everyone looked to the blader in frustration, not knowing why he was breaking down like this. They were scared. Yu hardly behaved like this. This was a far cry from the bubbly, optimistic child that helped to keep the group together.

A short distance away, a blue haired boy watched the boy, his storm grey eyes sad. It was his fault. "I'm sorry, Yu."

* * *

"I-I don't want to do this," Yu said, his eyes wide with terror, still hyperventilating by what he had seen on the screen. Libra sat in his palm as he trembled- no one knew whether it was from shock or fear.

The Starlight blader spoke up cautiously, not wanting to upset her friend any further. "Yu…" She started softly. "I don't want to ask… but who is Rafael? And what does he have to do with you?"

Lucas spoke up from the corner, already uninterested in the present topic. He crossed his arms. "Rafael is a blader working under as in Solace- he's our newest blader. I'm not close to him- so I don't know his past, but all I know is that he's Saphyr's brother." Everyone gasped at this statement. Astri's mind flashed back to a recent memory, one line in particular.

_"Oh, we had a little deal. If I worked with them, I could have you. Now who wouldn't turn down that offer?"_

Her fist clenched unconsciously. She was part of the reason why Chris had been captured by Skia. And if Rafael was her brother, then… well, let say things weren't going to be smooth between there.

Finally, Yu spoke, his voice hoarse. His emerald eyes were watery. "Rafael used to be one of my friends. I met him in Greece…"

* * *

Four bladers were in the large room, two on each side. They glared each other down, carefully positioning their beys to be in perfect position. Two of them would be going down today- and the other two would be defeated. Astri bit her lip nervously. They were just kids- they had no idea how powerful Dynamis was. If anything happened to either one of them…

_I'll never be able to forgive myself…_

Rhea and Adira looked at each other. Astri realised how much they looked alike- with almost the exact same eye shape, and the big spike of hair hanging over their foreheads. The only difference was their colours, and the fact that Adira had short hair instead of long.

The Equia blader brushed a lock of stray crimson hair out of her face, looking the most focused she had ever been. Her best friend tucked her mouth and nose into her blue scarf, not wanting to let any stray dust particles in.

On the other side stood Dynamis and Glen. The Jupiter blader looked as calm as usual, his sapphire eyes staring at the stadium as he adjusted his aim. Even then, Astri swore that she could feel his piercing gaze on her. Glen was relaxed, a confident smirk on his face, peanut-butter coloured hair flopping in his face, sharp black eyes glinting behind thick columns of glass.

"Are you ready?" The DJ asked, and they gave their silent nods. "Let's start the countdown, then. 3!" He yelled at the top of his lungs.

"2!" The bladers called simultaneously, locking into position.

"1!" The audience cheered, with the exceptions of Astri and Yu. Yu looked a little pale from his recount, and Astri was too worried to do anything much.

"Let it rip!" The four beys landed in the stadium and circled around each other quickly, everyone trying to gauge what their opponent's strengths and weaknesses were. Rhea was the first to call a move.

"Ruby Equia, go now!" The red and blue bey charged at Dynamis recklessly, wanting to land a hit before things got too ugly. Meanwhile, the calmer Adira stayed back to assess the situation, Leopard coming to rest at the side of the stadium. Her eyes widened as she realised the danger Rhea was in. She shouted a warning to her best friend.

"Rhea, don-" It was far too late. The Pegasus bey spirit whinnied as it folded its wings into a streamlined position, shooting straight into Jupiter like a cannon. Adira watched, unable to do anything.

Equia slammed into Jupiter over and over again, each hit filled with Rhea's burning passion and spirit. But Jupiter just _spun, _unaffected. Rhea glared at the bey before preparing to shout a new command.

"Listen to me," Adira cried urgently. "You could get hurt if you charge in recklessly, OK?!" Her usually gentle tone was harsh, and Rhea had not seen the girl like this before. But she continued. "Jupiter won't budge from those type of attacks. The only way you can beat it is to land a stadium out- making it spin outside the stadium. I have a plan."

Rhea nodded mutely, and Equia reluctantly drew back as Adira whispered her plan into her friend's ear. Rhea concentrated carefully and Adira gave her a silent signal. The blades on her bey's fusion wheel contracted to become a warped blue one with glass panels on it.

"Sapphire Stream!" She called and a blue aura started to surround her bey. A streak of deep blue stars formed and shot towards Dynamis's bey, creating a crater that trapped Jupiter inside.

Astri raised an eyebrow. _They're doing better than I expected…_

Now, it was Adira's turn. The bey unexpectedly swerved and slammed into Element Llama, and with brute strength, Leopard slowly made its way to the crater where Jupiter was waiting. "Special move. Snowing Hurricane!" She said, sweeping her hand across the air.

A swirl of wind and snowflakes started to emerge from her green and white bey, consuming both Jupiter and Llama, trapping them amidst the snow. Rhea smirked. It was over.

However, at that moment, a dark aura surrounded Dynamis as his eyes flashed blood red. He had the twisted look on his face, that maniacal expression in his eyes, from the time he faced Astri in battle. And when the blader was like this- under such an emotionally fragile state- It was easy for him to… lose control…

"You won't beat me. Jupiter!" He yelled, as somewhere inside the storm of snow and wind, darkness started to whip around wildly. Rhea's eyes widened in shock and she took a few steps back.

The tornado turned a dark purple colour, and blasted both Equia and Leopard out, causing them to barely hang on. The fusion wheel of Satanic Jupiter hummed with energy, glowing indigo. Adira murmured something that caught everyone's attention.

"…You aren't happy when you blade…" She whispered, causing the Jupiter blader to stop his onslaught for a while.

"All I want in life…" She looked up, revealing the glasses she wore. "Is to see people happy. But you two…" She pointed at her opponents. "I don't feel any passion coming from you when you blade. You're just using your beys as tools, and that's not right."

"Adira…" Rhea whispered, impressed. Her friend ignored her and continued talking.

"I was taught…" The snowstorm died down and was sucked back into the bey. "To make all my friends happy, to keep them safe… My mum told me that. But you're not happy, and there's no reason to battle if the battles have no meaning…"

Dynamis paused for a second before snarling. "Shut up. If you're not going to attack, then I will. Special move, Wrathful Thunder!"

Bolts of jet black lightning started to dance around the stadium before merging into one huge, deadly blast of dark electrical energy that headed straight for the two girls.

_I made an oath to keep my friends safe…_

Adira did the most unimaginable thing. She _attacked _Rhea, a green and white aura flaring up around her and Leopard.

Rhea gasped in terror.

The stadium lit up in white as beys were blown around in the chaotic melee.

One blader fell.

* * *

**I worked so hard on that battle.**

**Like literally. I spent so long on it but meh, I was half asleep XD MORE EPIC CLIFFEZ! YAS. JUST YAS. Who knew Adira had such a philosophical side to her? :3**

**Adira: -_- **

**Astri: If you hurt them, I personally swear I will kill you.**

**But I could delete the story which would delete you.**

**Astri: I rest my case...**

**Replies to reviews:**

**S.H.E.N.K.A.I.N.000: Yay cX And what happened to Chris is a mystery, isn't it. And thanks!**

**Hasnain (Guest): THANKS SO MUCH :D**

**QueensKhioneAndFernis: No, Lucas, we don't want you hyper. And thanks so much. It just occurred to me that Wales could have a tattoo, and I can't imagine him as a rebel... O.o And Rafael is still a mystery! Thanks so much!**

**Question of le chapter: Favourite evolved canon bey? Mine is Spectral Orion. I dunno why, I'm just proud of it :3 And fun fact- Saphyr was originally going to be the Ourano blader instead of Chris.**

**Now, critiques welcome and please review! *Salutes* Nyx out-**

**Astri: And continuing from last chapter, there's going to be a sequel to the story. Nyx has already planned it out, and it's called of Dimensions and Time.**

**SHUT THE FLUFF UP ASTRI!**


	43. Chapter 43

**Eheheh... sorry for the uber long wait. ^_^" You've heard this from me about a million times, but I HAVE to finish my two stories for the Pokemon Watty Awards. I have 20 more chapters to write for one of them, and five more for the other. And being the procrastinator I am, it's going to be extremely hard to finish this by October 31st.**

**Dynamis: And here I was enjoying life without you ;-;**

**Shut up~ :D Anyway, I'm back, and don't ki- *gets killed* Never mind. ._. I deserve it; I give you this short, shitty chapter that's an INFORMATION chapter of all things (although it only takes up less than half the chapter) after making you wait for 2-3 months). Gomen'nasai people! Anyway, I don't own MFB, but I DO own the plot and my OCs!**

* * *

**"****Someone is always bound to fall first. It's just a matter of time."**

"Rhea!" Astri screamed, her first instinct to run towards the two bladers in a blind terror. "Adira!" Smoke blew everywhere, reducing her vision to near zero, but that didn't stop her. She searched among the jagged pieces of debris, but through the thick clouds of grey everywhere, it was practically impossible for her to make out anything.

Finally, the smoke died down, and Astri fell silent with horror. Rhea knelt on one knee, her skin covered with several scratches, and she looked like she was in shock from the attack. But that wasn't the worst part.

Adira lay motionless on the ground. Her clothes were torn in places, and blood seeped from an unseen wound in her head, which was placed inches away from a huge wooden beam. The Starlight blader froze, unable to say anything at all. She bent down next to the unconscious girl, hearing her breaths coming in short, hurried bursts.

She picked up the girl. "Adira… wake up. Adira!" Her voice intensified, and when the young girl didn't respond, she closed her eyes. A breeze ruffled her hair, but all it did was simply make her feel all the more useless.

A woman cloaked in shining gold robes watched from the corner, ghostly skin rippling. _Astri… I'm sorry. I should have tried harder to stop this from coming. As your loyal partner, I've disappointed you. _The figure faded away until it was as if nothing was ever present in the shadows.

Rhea's head slowly turned to face Astri and Adira, but her eyes were devoid of her usual lively sparkle. It contained an expression that nearly terrified the group…

Rhea had given up.

* * *

There was a knock on Astri's door. The lavender haired teen paused for a while, debating on whether she should allow anyone inside. Finally, she sighed. "Come in," the girl said dully. There was a click as the door opened, revealing none other than Rhea standing at the door.

The small girl was a complete mess. She had changed into new clothes, but they were already rumpled, and her eyes were tinted red from crying. She stepped into the room, but her movements were robotic, like she wasn't fully in control of her body. And Astri knew exactly why.

Rhea and Adira were close- just like sisters. A part of one another. And when one part was missing…

They couldn't function properly.

"Hey," Astri stated, unable to think of anything else. Rhea didn't say anything in reply, she just stared at Astri blankly. But Astri knew what she was thinking. _How do you expect me to reply when my best friend is on the verge of life and death? _But after a few minutes of glaring silence, a few heavy words tripped out of Rhea's mouth.

"Your battle is soon," was all she mumbled, her voice dull. Astri sighed, grabbing Starlight in her right hand. She didn't want to battle any more. She had been excited previously, but now, she was scared. There was so much going on, and if she or Yu were to face the wrath of Dynamis…

Chaos would surely ensue.

Astri got up and nodded mutely, while Rhea turned away abruptly and left, the door slamming behind her, her crimson eyes shadowed. Her once stone cold eyes flashed with hurt. "Your battle between Nile and Rafael starts in one and a half hours. The others are in the waiting room."

"How about you?" Astri asked.

The girl looked both annoyed and defeated. "I'm visiting Adira at the hospital."

* * *

The Starlight blader walked into the small room, where the group of bladers waited for her. Kyoya seemed indifferent as usual, and her fist clenched at his reaction. Gingka looked worried, and the others were just sullen, the mood dampened from the battle.

She got down right to business, remembering what the hooded figure had said. _Tell them. _They had an ally, but who exactly was she? "I need to tell you all something. I'm guessing you haven't heard the _full _legend of the Ourano bladers." Everyone shook their head. Taking a deep breath, she launched into the tale. "It all began about a year after the first Nemesis Crisis…"

"Long ago, everything was thought to be in harmony after Nemesis was defeated and sealed in the ground. However, that was not true. A piece of Nemesis was left behind in the world. Albeit, it was just a small fragment, but it was still enough. It linked itself with the mind of the blader closest to Nemesis; Zeus's right hand man- Dynamis's ancestor." Astri started. Everyone was bursting with questions, but they were still silent.

"It was that small shard of the legend that gradually destroyed his old life. It took over him, feeding him dark and bitter thoughts, until he was no longer the kind blader he once was. He was…" She paused for breath. _"A part of Nemesis."_

She ignored the gasps and carried on. "We all know how Nemesis isn't exactly human. He's more of a monster or an immortal. So when a human and an immortal link together forcefully… a demon is created. An absolute monster that would stop at nothing to destroy everything in his path." Yu's eyes widened when Astri recounted it without any trace of hurt, as if she was reciting a story that she had memorised a million times, until it was engraved in her mind permanently.

"So," the Starlight blader said, "The demon remained dormant inside his mind for a while like a bad seed. But over time, that seed grew and spiralled out of control, and he was simply nothing but Nemesis and his own rage in a shell of a human body. He was the monster he was fated to be. The Ourano bladers, a group of bladers chosen by the heavens, rose to stop this evil." She then got up. "We have to battle soon. Yu?"

The small boy shook his head. "Before that, I have one question. What happened in the end?"

Astri shrugged. "You know, the usual good ending. Though, I'm not sure what's going to happen this time. They had all the Ourano bladers already in the past. We haven't even found all of them yet. Now let's go."

"I don't want to battle…"

"Me neither, but-" A voice cut Astri off midway, one that was tired but firm. "You have to go, and you will go." Rhea walked in, a determined expression in those once dark eyes. "Adira would want you to battle; I'm sure of it. She wouldn't want you to stop because of her."

Astri smiled. Rhea had decided to actually do something about her life, a far cry from the sobbing mess at the beystadium and the emotionless shell of a girl that had locked herself away, not wanting to hurt any more. "Okay." Astri and Yu got up, locking eyes with the Equia blader, and then disappeared into the long stretch of walkway that would lead to their arena.

* * *

"Welcome to the second round of the Fiery Seas Tag Battle competition! After that rather… _eventful _first round, let's welcome the participants! On the left, we have Astri and Yu! On the right, Nile and Rafael!"

Astri observed the two bladers facing them. Nile's eyes had been restored to their usual clear green selves, but they were dim and clouded, like he had died internally. _It was still there since we found him…_

"Rafael?" Yu asked, voice quivering. He still couldn't believe the teenage boy with spiky, dust-blue hair and storm grey eyes in front of him was actually real. "Why did you leave without telling me? Nile, you too. Why didn't you tell me? Why did _both of you _abandon me?"

Rafael felt a tinge of guilt spike at his heart, but Nile barely flinched. Instead, the Egyptian silently brought out his launcher and aimed at the stadium, barely even focusing on his opponents. Yu's eyes narrowed as he saw the teen wince in pain at the action, but prepared to launch as well instead. Astri and Rafael did the same, positioning their launchers towards the stadium.

"Yu," Rafael murmured quietly. "You'll find out in this battle."

"Three!"

"Two!"

"One!"

"Let it rip!"

* * *

**The battle will be next chapter. No crap. I also created a forum for the "Kill Doji &amp; Pluto Club", because why not? It's also for any bad guy in general, really. XD**

**Also, can you guys vote on my poll for which story you want me to update more often? I'm not going to be on here very often, what with competitions and exams and Watty Awards, so I want to make sure my updates are quality ones. **

**Replies to reviews:**

**supporter12: Haha, thanks! **

**S.H.E.N.K.A.I.N.000: YES, IT CAN BE ONE OF THOSE GIRLS. Although doing that to Adira makes me feel guilty as hell ._. And yes, Yu, creepy Nile and Rafael.**

**HASNAIN: Thanks for saying my work is majestic! :) And no, I have Facebook, but I don't use it and it's kinda private .-. Sorry.**

**With that, hope you enjoyed this chapter, critiques welcome and please review! *salutes* Nyx out!**


	44. Chapter 44

**Oh my Arceus... I'm sorry c: I'm not going to say much so that you can actually read. Let's just say that a few things have been going on: Wattpad, school, exams. But now it's ze holidays and NOTHING CAN STOP ME! (^o^) I don't own MFB, but I own my OCs, the plot and my laptop. The song featured here is Don't Run Away by David Archeluta. With this, please enjoy!**

* * *

The four beys landed silently in the arena and began to spiral out in different directions. Astri, seeing that Rafael's bey was a Stamina type, immediately commanded Starlight to attack head-on, trying to weaken its defences before he was victorious in a slip-out.

Meanwhile, Libra headed towards Shining Horuseus. The golden and black bey was the only one who remained in the center, spinning steadily and noiselessly. Nile didn't even seem to be focusing on the battle; instead, he was mindlessly watching Comet Starlight and Rafael's bey, Night Fokkice go back and forth as they battled.

Libra fired sonic waves of energy at Horuseus, but Nile didn't do anything to fight back. Yu narrowed his eyes in frustration, sending a particularly strong wave of sound out that shook the entire stadium slightly.

_When something's wrong_

_And too much to handle_

_Try to find some peace of mind_

_Let it go._

_Wait a minute, you know this road_

_It's gonna leave you on overload_

_Yeah…_

Nile let out a small gasp of pain as he was pushed back, but caught himself in time. His sharp emerald eyes finally dragged themselves to meet Yu's angry gaze. Yu felt a tinge of regret in his heart as he saw the cold look in those dark eyes. He recognised it from somewhere. From…

The image of the small redhead appeared in his mind. _From Rhea._

That hollow look… as if something important to them had been lost. For Rhea, it had been her other part, her best friend, someone as close to her as a sister. And as for Nile, he wasn't missing anything physically, but emotionally, even though he didn't want to admit it, he was scarred thoroughly. The thing he missed most was trust.

_'Cause somebody cares, yeah_

_I can see you hurting (turn around)_

_I will be right there_

_Don't run away _

_Don't run away_

_Don't run away_

_When I reach out to you, look around_

_I will be right here_

_Don't run away _

_Don't run away_

_Don't run away_

_Tonight_

"Why?" Yu muttered darkly. He glared at Nile, unable to stop the tears from flowing any longer. "Why did you do this? Abandon everyone without even _saying _anything?" He cried out. "First Rafael-" He paused to look at the blader's tag team partner. "And now you." Fury coursed through him as the teen looked away, unable to met his gaze. "You're not responding, aren't you? It's because I'm _right."_

Nile clenched his fist, trembling half in anger at Yu's boldness and half in fear that what the young boy said was exactly what he was thinking. "You don't understand," He growled at Yu. Even _speaking _seemed foreign to him now. He hardly spoke since he ran away from the hospital, after all…

"No, I don't," Yu admitted. "But I've heard a lot that letting your freaking emotions out can help to erase bad memories. I know that you're scared, Nile, but it's the only way to help you heal."

_Hmm…_

_Don't make a sound_

_I'll be your voice_

_You don't need to be afraid_

_Anymore_

_I'll shine a light out in the dark_

_Guide you here no matter how far_

_Unless you alter my memories and brainwash me just like Dynamis, _Nile thought bitterly, but kept that thought to himself. Instead, he crushed all of the emotion within him and kept a steady, blank, empty look in his eyes as he answered robotically. "Memories never go away. Don't you know that?"

"Stop it. They may not be able to go away forever-" A determined look crossed his face as he spoke as Libra crashed into Horuseus instead of simply hitting it with sonic waves. "But you're never going to heal if you keep on running away from all your problems. Special move, Final Infernal Vortex!"

There was a blinding column of lime green light that erupted from the stadium, causing a shiver of white-hot pain to lance through Nile's body. He was trying his hardest not to let the pain show, but beads of sweat ran down his face at the effort, and he felt himself tremble slightly.

_Don't run away. _Was that the meaning he was implying? Nile registered another emotion stirring up inside him- an emotion called panic. _Running away? No, I'm not running away. I'm just…_

_I can see you hurting (turn around)_

_I will be right there_

_Don't run away _

_Don't run away_

_Don't run away_

_When I reach out to you, look around_

_I will be right here_

_Don't run away _

_Don't run away_

_Don't run away_

_Tonight_

He struggled to find the right word as both anger and fear stirred up inside him. Anger at Yu for not understanding the sadistic _torture _he went to, and fear because Yu was right and he was just a coward running away from everything. He wanted to forget that they had ever existed, yet he said that you could never erase memories…

He ignored what Yu had said and finally issued a comment to his bey. "Horuseus,

special move. Mystical Evocation." The voice was so soft, even Yu could barely hear it with his extraordinary hearing.

For one magical moment, Nile felt something that had been dormant all along flare up inside of him. It was that very core, the _essence _of Beyblade that Kyoya's rival Gingka was always talking about. And that something was none other than bey spirit that had been lying in wait of awakening.

_Open up_

_Let it all out tonight, yeah_

_Open up_

_And everything will be alright_

As he stared, entranced by the beautiful golden light produced by his bey that held such life that he hadn't seen before, flickering in the wind just like a stray candle, both fragile and deadly, he felt tears brim in his eyes. Fragile just like its owner; deadly? Powerful? Could he be like that? A sentence appeared in his mind:

"_It only takes a spark to get a fire going"_

_Thank you, Yu, for all you've done for me._

_I think… I'm ready to stop running away right now._

_I can see you hurting (turn around)_

_I will be right there_

_Don't run away _

_Don't run away_

_Don't run away_

_When I reach out to you, look around_

_I will be right here_

_Don't run away _

_Don't run away_

_Don't run away_

_Tonight_

As the two beys' special moves collided with each other, a magnificent myriad of colours spilt over the air, blue and green and gold. The bright hues twinkled above the two bladers, and he felt the tears finally fall as a smile that he hadn't shown for what seemed like an eternity graced his face.

* * *

Rafael's POV:

_"And Horuseus has flown out of the stadium! Nile is out!" _The DJ commented. My partner stared blankly at him before slowly bending down to pick up his fallen bey. Fokkice raced away from Astri Hikari's Celestial Starlight, but I knew that the faster Attack type would catch up eventually…

_Damn it! _I thought to myself before shouting out a command to my bey. "Night Fokkice, mode change. Defence mode!" The dark blue bey's broad fusion wheel contracted into a more solid one. Starlight successfully landed a hit on my bey; but it barely did anything.

The lavender haired teen growled in frustration, trying to analyse the situation. But it wouldn't work out. I knew every trick, every strategy she had, after all. I was a part of Solace. I knew _everything _about the Ourano bladers.

"Stamina mode!" She commanded, and everything went according to my predictions. The twisted silver part of her fusion wheel slid smoothly into the upper gold part, giving it added stamina and balance. I smirked as Fokkice switched into Attack mode, pale blue metal blades slicing at Starlight's rather frail defences. At this rate, it was a guaranteed win…

That is, until her partner decided to step in. And unfortunately, he was someone I least expected to see. The very person I didn't want in my life anymore.

It wasn't because I hated him- it was because I loved him too much.

"Libra!" Yu called, trying to keep his voice and expression steady. But I knew him too well. Cracks of a woebegone frown peeked through that calm, analyctical mask of his. "Sonic Buster!" Thick, uneven sand started to spread through the entire stadium and Fokkice started to slip.

Despite the circumstance I was in, a smile formed on my face. My dark grey eyes stared into his naïve emerald ones. He looked at me steadily, and then came that one question that I knew he would ask.

"Why did you fake your death?"

* * *

**Yay I'm done ^_^ Next chapter will probably be out in a few days, and it's going to be the continuation of this battle and Tsuki and Fiona vs mystery team :D By the way, my new book Infinity (featuring my Fanfiction friends and acquaintances) will be published tomorrow, but I still need two more people. Damn it _ If you want to take part, PM me, but take note I'll only accept you if:**

**We've PMed before (like more than just official stuff)**

**You've left a review on my story,**

**Or I consider you my senpai.**

**Now, critiques welcome and please review, and with that *Salutes* Nyx out!**


	45. Chapter 45

**Short chapter. ^^; I typed this yesterday but I had no time, sorry... Anyway, it feels like ages since I updated (it probably is). This continues on the battle and stuff? I just have to say that its not very good because I typed it out in school. I don't own MFB and please enjoy.**

* * *

Yu's POV:

As Fokkice became trapped in the grains of clumpy sand that held it in place, Libra started to rush towards it, a lime green glow coated it. I looked up from the stadium to clash again with Rafael's eyes again. I hated him for doing this. I _hated _my best friend for abandoning me.

"Kikeoru Libra, isn't it?" I had a sharp intake of breath at his calm manner of speech. _How… how does he know? _"I see it's remained a Stamina type. The silver fusion wheel is broad and has small, smooth ridges both to slip away from attacks and to gain surface area for stamina. The spin track is thin but with a extension to move quickly, while the performance tip is the same as before."

"What… how do you know all of this?" I asked. He didn't say anything, but instead commanded his bey to attack. As he held up his arm and pointed to the stadium, I saw the golden wing emblem stitched into a black wristband.

I narrowed my eyes. "You're one of them."

A small smirk crossed his face and he nodded slightly. "I know all your tactics. And how to counter them…" I froze as Fokkice raced towards me, despite being originally trapped in the sand. It wasn't exactly _gliding _like how Eagle countered my attack, but…

A midnight blue fox spirit rose from the bey in a pillar of sapphire light, a white crescent glowing on its forehead amidst the darkness. It had nine tails that whipped around, propelling it forward and kicking up sand, and its feet seemed to only touch the ground for a split-second. _Wait a minute. I've seen that before…_

"You're… your bey is like-" I stammered, unable to accept it. He inclined his head towards me in a nod.

"Yeah. It's also the reason I joined. I'm Saphyr's sister." His gaze flinched away from me slightly and Fokkice smashed into Libra. The stamina type bey faltered for a second, before both beys drew away from each other. I looked at Astri, sending her a silent message: _Stay out of this._

She nodded, but hesitated for a few moments before reluctantly calling Starlight back. I smiled at her gratefully- It couldn't been easy to stay out of a battle. Then, I focused all my attention back on my opponent. "You haven't answered my question. Why did you fake your death?"

He ignored me, keeping his dark gaze on the battlefield. "Answer me." When there was no response, I felt an unexplainable rage well up inside me. My calm voice cracked and I felt it turn into a shout of fury. _"I said _**_answer _**_me!"_

"…There's no difference," He muttered after a while. "Even if you knew why, you would just hate me more, wouldn't you?" The crescent-shaped energy ring on Fokkice glowed a gentle white, and shadows began to descend upon the stadium, causing a dusty blue and indigo aura to rise around Rafael's bey.

I looked back at him. "Raphael, tell me. _Now." _A bright green glow lit up the darkness around Libra and before long, a pillar of raw, deadly energy lit up the air, expelling the shadows around it. As the light faded away, a slightly less steady Fokkice spun around the stadium.

"It- I just-" Rafael stammered before sighing in defeat. He lowered his head. "Fine," He mumbled. "I'll tell you. Don't get upset." Then, under his breath, he said something else. "But you probably will."

"It started around the time of the Beyblade World Championships. I found out you had made enemies with Hades Academy, or HD Academy if you want to call it. The truth is… I was one of the bladers training there." His gaze shifted away from me. "They told me that they wouldn't hurt you if I joined. I knew you would be hurt if you found out, so I faked my death."

My throat went dry at the realisation. First, anger filled me at the thought of him joining that dreaded organisation, but then guilt washed over me like a cold wave. _He did it for me, after all… he joined to protect me… _He continued talking, but I had heard enough.

"Once I was sure you were fine, I continued training at HD Academy. I was one of the many who tried the Arrangement system, and it seemed for a while that I was going to be who Faust was, controlling the Spiral Force, but some problems arose after that."

I glanced at him, confused. _Problems? _"What do you mean? The Arrangement wasn't compatible with you?"

He shook his head as Libra rushed forward to attack again, Fokkice easily taking the hits before striking back. "No. In fact, I was one of the most compatible ones. But because of some… issues that the Arrangement couldn't fix. It was extremely risky to go further, so they stopped and I left."

_Issues? Does that mean… health issues? _"Rafe, is there something else you're not telling me?" His silence proved that. "Rafe, tell me. What's wrong with you?" Seeing him not answering, I took a closer look at my opponent. Beads of sweat ran down his face as he trembled in an effort to stand.

"N-nothing!" He stammered out painfully, but his rapid breathing and struggle to stay conscious proved otherwise. "I'm f-fine!" He clutched his chest and groaned softly in pain, but refused to back down. Waves of indigo energy shook the stadium at an alarming, unstable rate.

I was seriously concerned now. Rafael was going to burn out any moment now, and he still insisted that we battle. "I don't think that we should continue, Rafe. We should stop-"

He shook his head as a burst of white light filled the arena. "C-Crescent Fu-Fury…" he wheezed out, The blinding light shaped itself into a crescent and the fox spirit rose from the ground, the glowing moon on its head causing shockwaves of energy to fire outwards from its nine tails.

"Angel's-" I was cut off as a column of white shot from the ground, causing me to be temporary blinded from my friend. "J-Judgement…" I didn't like the sound of this, not at all. _I just hope Rafael's OK…_

As colour returned to my vision, I saw Rafael still standing, eyes half-open. Both beys were barely spinning, worn out from the immense amount of power used in that one attack. Rafael's unsteady gaze met me, and he whispered out one word, cracked and gasping for air before collapsing to the ground, unconscious.

_"__H-help…"_

* * *

"Doctor?" I stared at the teen sleeping peacefully in the hospital bed, a few wires hooked up to him. "What happened to Rafael? Will he be OK?" The doctor smiled at me tiredly.

"He's fine. I don't know if you've heard this from him before, but he has a serious heart and lung condition. What happened during the battle was his condition acting up again." Seeing my shocked and worried face, he ruffled my hair comfortingly. "Don't worry, he's fine now. We managed to stabilise him."

I nodded. "Thanks so much." As I watched the rhythmic rise and fall of his chest, I sighed, hurt. "I never knew about this. He wasn't like that when we battled…" I paused for a while before continuing. "Should he be battling at all?"

"Hard to say," The doctor stated. "Looking at his condition, its dangerous, but it is possible to battle."

Rafael's eyes were closed lightly and his breathing was shallow but steady. I sat down on a chair next to the bed and grasped his limp hand in mine, wishing he would wake up soon.

_Rafe… why didn't you tell me about this?_

* * *

***Shrugs* Well what did you expect? I love Night Fokkice more than Akarui Kitsune, mostly because I don't like Saphyr for ruining the ship _ Anyway, here are the replies to reviews.**

**QueensKhioneAndFernis: I guess we can be psychic sometimes, huh? XD And your other question was answered already.**

**S.H.E.N.K.A.I.N.000: B-but, but- CLIFFIES ARE LOVE, CLIFFIES ARE LIFE**

**lunacrest: I've probably mentioned it before though... X3 But maybe you could predict this one? I don't know. And is Rafe like Rafe from Pyro? XD**

**Now, critiques welcome and please review! *Salutes* Nyx out~!**


	46. Chapter 46

Rafael's POV:

"Uh…" I felt my eyes open a crack, wincing as I was instantly blinded by cold rays of artificial light. My body felt numb, as if I wasn't in control in it, and even though I was aware of the oxygen mask that had been placed over my mouth and nose, I still found myself gasping slightly for air.

As I looked around and inspected my surroundings, I saw nothing but _white. _That may have been an exaggeration, but the walls were painted an eggshell white, the curtains were white, and even the small desk next to the bed was a crisp, bright white. _I'm in the hospital…?_

As the memories of what had previously happened pounded at my mind, I groaned slightly, dizzy from the weight of that battle alone. I tried to sit up, but my body ached and cramped, protesting against the simple movement. A nurse walked into the room, her heels sharply clicking on the _white _marble floor. Despite that, she smiled at me.

"So you're awake! Your friends really were concerned at you when you collapsed…" she shuffled through the file that she had been carrying. "…Rafael."

She knelt by my bed and adjusted a lever, and a portion of the hospital bed gradually straightened, bringing me into a sitting position. I gave a small half smile in thanks, and she continued speaking. "My name is Nurse Kanzaki, but you can just call me Kanzaki. I'm in charge of you here."

"I see," I replied, though it came off as more of a murmur through the thick mask. "How… how long have I been out?"

"Let's see." The nurse thought for a while before replying. "I'd say you were lucky. You were only unconscious for about a day or so." As she saw my eyes widen, she laughed slightly, though it didn't seem to contain any malice. "Don't worry. For your condition, it could have been far worse. Do you want me to notify your friends that you're awake?"

I stared at her, wondering at _who exactly _she was referring to. If Yu was included… I would have a lot more explaining to do. Still, he would find out somehow- hell, he probably already knew about my condition from the doctor. "I guess."

She flashed another smile at me, before picking up the telephone on the desk and dialling in a number. "Hello? Yes, I've called to inform you that Rafael has woken up." There was a pause before she spoke again. "You're coming over right now? I supposed that's OK. Thank you!" She hung up and returned the telephone.

A few minutes later, Gingka entered the room. I unconsciously gripped the frame of the bed- _What does he want?- _but he simply took a seat next to the bed and looked at me with those large, concerned eyes of his. "Are you-"

"_Yes," _I snapped unintentionally. Then, in a calmer tone, I repeated my line. "Yes. I'm fine. What do you want?"

"I'm not going to question you or anything, Rafael. I admit you _were _suspicious at first, but you're from Solace. We're on your side now. And besides…" His eyes shifted to the door. "I'd rather leave the questioning to Yu."

As if on cue, the door clicked open and the short, blonde-haired boy walked in, golden bangs partially shadowing his eyes, an unusually serious expression on his face. I flinched slightly as he arrived at the bed. There was a pregnant pause of silence for a while, before I spoke. "Do you have anything to say?"

He sat down. "Why didn't you tell me about your condition?"

"Wait, are you _sure _you used to be best friends? You're being so damn formal with each other," Gingka interjected. Both of us shot him down quickly with a glare before I spoke again.

"You know why, don't you?" Not receiving any answer from the small boy, I spoke again. "Fine. Do you think that you would be happy if you knew? I don't want to _hurt _you any further. You wouldn't have anyone to train with if I wasn't allowed to battle with you. We would both be lonely. It's the best for both of us."

"…_No." _Yu's voice shook, and I saw his large, innocent emerald eyes age so many years forward at that moment. "I get what you're trying to say. You're doing this for my own good. But seeing you _lie _so much to me over the years, even as we were growing up… I can't help but be hurt. Our whole friendship was based off a lie."

I bit my lip, and Gingka looked at the both of us with an even more worried expression, probably concerned that we would fight again. But we weren't going to fight. We had already fought just now- bladers communicated best when battling.

"That's up to you to decide whether it was," I replied, trying to find the right words to say. "I know I lied about many things. That was wrong, and I'm sorry. But our friendship wasn't a lie. That's all I can say."

"I wouldn't like it to be a lie…" Yu trailed off and looked at me, the faintest glimpse of that childlike innocence returning in a single teardrop that glistened at the corner of his eye.

"Neither would I…"

3rd person POV:

"Welcome to the last battle of the tag battle tournament! Let's introduce our participants, shall we?" An exuberant grin spread across the DJ's face as he swept a hand across the stadium. Two bladers walked calmly out from the left side.

"On my left, it's Kaiian and Saphyr, two mysterious bladers that haven't taken part in many tournaments before. Let's see what they've got!" The two teens took their place, and Kaiian rolled his eyes, a bored expression already starting to creep onto his face. Glen was quiet and unmoving, but an almost sinister look flickered in his brown eyes.

"It looks like all the bladers here are newcomers today! On my right, we have Seth and Lucas, seemingly up-and-coming bladers. Who's going to win today, I wonder?" Lucas focused on the stadium, emotionlessly attaching Khione to his launcher. Meanwhile, Seth studied his opponents' expressions. Kaiian seemed as much a jerk as usual, but there was something that he didn't like in Saphyr's look.

He didn't have much time to think about it as he readied Angel for battle, aiming at the stadium. They didn't have much experience together, but Seth could already feel the tight bond that had started to form between them.

"3!" Kaiian and Saphyr started the countdown, but Seth still couldn't figure out why he had been afraid. Maybe it was just the look on the girl's face. Maybe it was just the warning that Quetzalcoatl had issued to him.

"2," Lucas and Seth muttered, making the final tweaks to their aim and position.

"1!" The audience roared out the last beat, and all four bladers prepared to launch.

"Let it rip!"

The four beys landed in the arena. Snowstorm Khione immediately radiated an icy-blue aura that kept the opponents' beys at a good distance. Angel, being a Defence type, stayed at the center. Destruction Chimera circled around the two beys cautiously, trying to find a good opening to pounce and strike.

Saphyr expression darkened in a sinister smile that was aimed directly towards Seth. "So you two are the ones that ran away from Skia? Especially you, Seth."

"Do I look like I care?" Seth muttered back. "I'm done with Skia."

"Will you care if-" Saphyr commanded her bey to attack Guardian Angel, and at that moment, Seth realised that he had been _right. _That she had been up to something. "-Corisande updated my bey in order for me to be a more compatible replacement?"

_It-it can't be—_

"You should see the look on your face right now," The older teen mocked, her bey, none other than _Sanguis Coyote, _smashing into Angel at full speed. "You really think you left everything about your old self behind? The _Seth _that was with Skia was a completely different person- we still had the data for your old bey."

"What's going on?" Lucas looked at Seth with a mildly concerned expression as Khione drew back from its barrage of attacks on Chimera. "What's all this got to do with you?"

Seth said nothing, but instead shook his head slightly and stepped away, his eye on Coyote the whole time. He was still unable to believe what was in front of him. "You- how could you do such a thing?"

"Who said I couldn't? And besides…" Saphyr lifted his head, and her brown eyes glinted with malice as she looked down at the younger teen. "Y'know, Corisande could have probably created a better bey for me. Sanguis Coyote _was _one of her first creations."

It was then that Seth saw the small metal device that had been cleverly concealed by Saphyr. Dark spots danced in front of his eyes, and he doubled over in pain.

"Wait. What the hell is happening?" Lucas' eyes flashed in anger, and the frosty aura that had surrounded Khione changed to a blood red, blowing away Chimera effortlessly. "I'm confused, but I know that you're doing something to him. And, knowing you Skia scum… it'a not good."

"You're still extremely perceptive," Kaiian muttered, his tone snarky.

Seth's surroundings melted away, and only darkness remained, the pitch-black void empty and silent. Fear coursed through him- fear that he would be lost again after he had worked so hard to escape- to start anew.

A rumble sounded through the shadows, and the outline of red glowed, showing the faint shape of a bloodthirsty coyote that had its eyes fixed on Seth alone.

And then, the coyote pounced.


	47. Chapter 47

Seth felt nothing but utter agony for the next few seconds.

The blood-red coyote was relentless, breaking into the shell of his mind and crippling him with wave after wave of pain. He couldn't think straight, and he could feel the control over his body slipping away.

He heard strangely muffled voices over the white noise filling his head—they seemed _familiar, _but distorted so much that he couldn't even begin to place the speakers.

_How nice, _the beast hissed coyly. _You're still alive. _

_You tried to stop me, _it continued, suddenly reappearing behind him and sinking its sharp fangs into his neck. The coyote's mouth parted into something resembling a twisted grin as Seth gasped out in pain, pupils dilating wildly and mouth open in a frozen scream.

_You insolent child, _the animal drawled out, twisting its fangs and causing the boy to sink to his knees. _You should have known that I'd come back for revenge._

"Stop it," Seth growled. "Stop trying to manipulate me."

_Alas, that's you fate. _The four-legged monster glowed with a blood-red aura, and it withdrew , the wound on the blader's neck stinging and sending pulses of white-hot pain coursing through each vein. _You can't ever escape your fate, you know._

The air had become thinner, and Seth struggled desperately to breath. As he stared up at the hateful expression that Coyote gave him, circling his victim and getting ready to attack, he asked a final question.

"Do you believe in destiny?"

There was a moment of silence—so tense that it could be cut with a knife—before his former beyblade responded.

"Yes," it replied with an almost _regretful _look on its face. "And I believe this is yours."

His vision cleared, and as he stumbled forward weakly, Lucas rushed to support his friend. "What the _hell's _going on?" the Khione blader demanded. "What are you doing to him?"

Saphyr stayed silent, instead choosing to pull out a small box of metal out with a sweeping flourish.

"Goodnight, Seth," she called, smiling as the device elongated and shifted to become a thin blade that glowed in a blinding cyan. The blader flung the projectile towards him with a simple flick of the wrist.

Lucas' eyes widened in shock as the sword seemed to lodge itself through his partner's stomach.

Seth choked painfully, dark blood trickling from his lips. He seemed unresponsive, pupils dilated and wide and posture petrified. Lucas shook him violently, but he remained in the same trance-like state, staring ahead blankly.

"Hey…" Lucas had never felt more helpless in his life. Something was happening; his friend could be _dying, _but he couldn't do anything. "Seth, talk to me…"

He tried to reach for the blade—tried to pull it out—but it disintegrated into bits of light moments away from touching it.

Dark markings started to creep their way onto Seth's face, and soon, the foreign imprints had invaded half his face. The two bladers could hear a distant voice calling in the wind—_You're too pure, _it said, _too filled with desire to protect your friends._

_Consume yourself with desire. I'll give you as much power as you want. More, and more, and _**_more…_**

Blinking, the Angel blader let out a strained noise, before slumping forward, unconscious.

And at that moment, there was an electrifying noise filling the arena, and Lucas watched as the boy's familiar features seemed to ripple, melting away and altering themselves to become someone much more terrifying.

"I'm back," a cold voice stated, his voice carrying a hint of crazed bloodlust.

Seth's eyes had changed from their dark honey to a bright red, and he gave Lucas an emotionless smile. "Salutations, Lucas."

The Khione blader stumbled back, staring at the purple-haired teenager next to him. "S—Seth?"

"It was a success!" Kaiian clapped his hands together gleefully. "Seth, your first order is to take care of your partner."

"Understood," he replied, tone hollow. "Coyote, drag Khione's spirit out. Scarlet Fall."

The spirit leapt from the obsidian bey, clawed energy ring lighting up in a flaming orange. It sped towards Lucas' white beyblade, giving it a harsh uppercut and superheating Khione until it glowed red-hot.

Khione's spirit finally showed—a white and ice-blue figure constantly shifting its form due to its misty nature.

Coyote's shape was shrouded in a veil of flames, and it dug its razor-sharp claws into his partner, the maiden letting out a cry of pain as smoke started rising from her shoulder.

"Seth, _stop!" _Lucas hastily commanded Khione to get away, and inspected his bey's damaged fusion wheel, the metal molten and starting to melt simply from one of Coyote's attack. "We're on the same side, remember?!"

"No, we aren't," the plume-haired boy replied icily. "My name is Seth. I work for Skia."

The ginger teenager fought back a fresh wave of tears—everything had seemed to make a turn for the better, but it had all collapsed today.

It wasn't Seth's fault. Skia was trying to do _something _to him—he was probably brainwashed. Either that, or he couldn't control his actions.

Grunting, he gave a command. "Khione, Black Ice," he ordered, and the bey instantly complied, turning the stadium into nothing more than a sheet of slippery ice. Chimera and Kitsune—he had absolutely _no _idea how Glen's bey had got into this mess—slipped, skidding around the arena with no control, but Coyote managed just fine.

Its rubber tip was far from ordinary—there seemed to be some sort of gear inside, because there was no way in _hell _that a normal rubber performance tip could stand Khione's Special Move—much less steadily melt away the ice around it.

"Snap out of it," Lucas pleaded. "This isn't you."

"I do not know what you're talking about," the teenager replied shortly. "Combination. Coyote—Copycat and Flaming Processor."

Glowing, Coyote flashed—and instead of Khione's usual Black Ice, a storm of flames flooded the beystadium, turning the arena's grounds into a live _volcano._

Lucas was forced to watch as the ice swiftly disappeared, and Khione's structure started to dissolve under the intense heat.

"Seth, please—"

He was interrupted as Seth stopped, his slim form swaying in utter bewilderment for a second as the bloodied tinge to his eyes flashed honey, sending a silent message of _help _to his best friend.

The boy let out a tortured scream, a thin shield of flames rising around him, and Coyote started to spin out of control, golden bouts of fire lighting up the arena in ugly shades of red.

"You can do it, Seth," Lucas called. He wrapped his arms around the shivering boy, shocked when he was cold to the touch despite the inferno wreathing him. "Go back to your normal self. Please. You're one of the only people I have left."

"You spoke too soon, Kaiian," Saphyr stated lazily. "This was a complete failure. We'll have to take care of the boy ourselves."

Coyote's spirit appeared behind Seth, and it moved its animalistic lips. _Looks like your time is over, young one. _He knocked the teenager to his knees, and Seth's once indigo hair shifted back to its original magenta state.

"Lucas…" The younger boy tilted his head up to look at him, honey eyes dull with thick waves of pain. "Do you believe in destiny…?"

"_What?"_

_Silence, _Coyote snarled. _Seth, it's time._

With that, the coyote transformed, shapeshifting into an archer holding an elaborate, crimson bow.

A gasp of agony and shock left his throat as a glowing—only because it was _that _hot—arrow pierced straight through the Angel blader's heart.

_"Seth…" _Lucas rushed to yank the arrow out, but it was already too late.

Seth's kneeling form was frozen, silhouetted in a horrible shade of ice-blue that quickly turned into a rich golden.

And moments after, the figure before Lucas dissolved, disintegrating into tiny, glowing prisms of resplendent light that gleamed against its backdrop.

"_SETH!"_


	48. Chapter 48

**i**

**i'm alive**

**yea**

* * *

Time seemed to pause for a fleeting moment, and Lucas could only look at the empty spot next to him where his friend had used to be.

"Seth…" He was talking to nothing but air; nothing but a hollow emptiness that he hated with all his heart, but he didn't give up. "Seth, what the hell? What's going on—" He glared at the duo opposite him. "What's going _on?"_

Kaiian threw a glare at him, but the smug smile on his face said it all. "We're just ordinary workers," he trilled. "We wouldn't know just what happened to him, but if you want my opinion, the boy's as good as dead."

"But why would you do that?" the boy gasped out, the shock coursing through his veins enough to stem the tears at the back of his eyes. "Isn't he an Ourano blader just like us? Doesn't he have some part to play in all of this?"

He was answered with Saphyr's cold gaze. "Just because he's special doesn't mean that his survival is guaranteed." Her voice was flippant, as if the past few moments hadn't even occurred at all, and he _hated _it. "I'm sure Corisande has a plan to harness his power in order to fuel Dynamis."

Lucas could see the police officers running down to restrain the duo opposite them, clearly alarmed by what had just happened, but he didn't care about any of that when his best friend had just disappeared in front of his eyes—they were just starting to regain their trust, and—

"I'll goddamn kill you," he hissed, a half-seared Khione flying back into his hand as the two of them walked away. "I'll kill every one of you who made this happen."

"You could try," Kaiian hummed, and his tone was far too light for the darkening atmosphere.

They were being led away now, and he could hear his allies' footsteps pounding at the ground as they rushed over to inspect the situation. Tithi's sob were far too much; they made the vomit in his throat want to spill, and he couldn't take the suffocating environment.

"Calm down, Lucas." He didn't believe his brother's words either, not when even _Wales _was sounding so distressed. "I'm sure that was impossible. Seth _has _to be alive."

The Khione blader wanted to snarl out a bitter response, but he was much too tired and upset to do so—and thus, with great reluctance, he let Astri lead him away from the crowd and to the preparation rooms behind.

His frenzied thoughts were momentarily interrupted as he bumped into someone else. At first, he thought that it was just another competitor—what with the small stature—but he then realised that he recognised the figure, and he tensed up, pushing the blader away and staring at him.

"I'm not going to do anything now, so relax." Kage glanced at them with a disinterested expression, and Astri's expression hardened—she hadn't known it was him; he _did _look different when his hair wasn't spiked up, after all. "I'm just here to get ready for my own battle."

Ignoring the way the girl's hand tightened around her launcher, the teenager walked past them, true to his word—but he uttered another sentence in a voice that only Lucas could her.

"Corisande's planning something with that friend of yours."

* * *

"How did everything go?" Astri slid into a spare seat next to Gingka, her blue eyes sad and concerned as they tried to focus on the arena in front of her. "I mean, about that battle—"

"Saphyr and Kaiian were taken by the police for questioning," another voice muttered in response, and she turned to see Rafael at the end of the row—since when was he discharged from the hospital? "Investigators are trying out what's happening, but it's unlikely that they'll get anywhere."

Gingka's face was unusually serious as he leant forward to study the arena. "I would say that we investigate this too, but we still have to find other Ourano Bladers. I'll contact the WBBA about this and ask them to find out what's going on, and—Lucas?"

The ginger-tressed boy clenched his fists, a look of uncharacteristic anger sweeping over his features. "Kage told me that Corisande planned to do something with Seth," he muttered. "I don't know what it is, but from the time I've worked in Skia, he doesn't lie often."

"But we're on opposing sides," Astri argued. "That means that he's tasked to stop you, right? But it _does _give us hope, so I guess we'll use that too."

Both of them were interrupted as the emcee's cheery voice produced a rude ringing in their ears. "Welcome to the final match of the first round! I'm sure all of you are excited to see this, aren't you? Well, on my left, we have—"

The older girl's complexion turned ashen, every muscle taut as she straightened up and gripped the sides of her seat. Her eyes were glossy, mouth open in a silent "o" as she stared at the duo emerging from the shadows of the door below.

All she'd seen was Kage's name in the list—his partner had been a hooded figure with a name she didn't bother to look at, but now that his hood was back, she recognised the shock of blond hair far too easily.

Chris didn't spare the audience a glance as he took his position at a side of the arena. He didn't look _too _beaten up—except for a few bruises that had made a mysterious appearance—but the clothes he were wearing were different, and they looked too expensive for someone they had taken hostage.

She was so busy staring at the boy that she missed the countdown to the battle, and she was shaken out of her daze by the sound of beys crashing against each other.

"Deliver the beginning attack and I'll deliver the end." His shorter partner had already plotted out a strategy in his head, and he glanced at the two beys opposite them. "They're strong, but not more than any blader you've faced, so two attacks should take them out."

As if he was mute, the blond boy just nodded at the instruction, looking down at his bey and mumbling an instruction that the stadium couldn't quite hear. It seemed to do the trick, though—Orion lit up in an array of beautiful colours, and a sphere of pale blue engulfed the entire stadium.

When the light cleared, the beys had already taken massive damage, wobbling and threatening to slip out at any minute—but they were hanging on by a thread.

Their opponents tried to shout commands to their beys, but none of the orders worked—and Chris raised his head to shoot them down with a condescending look as his lips parted to speak. "You can't do anything," he whispered. "Headtaker petrifies beys as well as doing damage."

"Werewolf, finish them off. This is a waste of time." Kage's voice was bored, and his silver-and-black bey rushed at the two weakened objects before it, knocking both of them out at once and flying back into his master's hand. "Let's go back."

Neither of them bothered to look back as they disappeared.

* * *

"Hey." Kage's voice was soft and rough as he undid the lock in a swift action, shoving the teenager back into his cell. "Good job on the battle today, so just sleep or something until I come tomorrow."

With that, he walked off, knowing that Chris had gotten whatever message he had implied—and opened the door to his room, taking a glance at his computer to ensure that all the systems were running as he had planned.

"This why you shouldn't trust me with handling technology, Corisande." A soft laugh escaped his mouth, and he absentmindedly punched buttons into his phone, watching as a message's notification popped up on the screen.

* * *

**_Chris: _**_How long more would you take to disable the systems?_

**_Kage: _**_Be patient, you idiot. All I can say is that I'll let you go by the end of the tournament. We're not doing anything to harm you or your friends yet, so shut up._

**_Chris: _**_Haven't done anything? Didn't you see what happened to Adira and Seth?_

**_Kage: _**_It's part of Corisande's plan. Now, I have to work on the systems, so if you want to escape earlier, then stop messaging me. I gave you back your phone so that you could communicate with me about _important _matters._

**_Chris: _**_I forgot to ask you this, but didn't you say you hate this job? Why not escape too when you have the chance? My friends forgave Seth; I'm sure they'll forgive you too._

**_Chris: _**_…_

**_Chris: _**_Kage?_

**_Kage: _**_I told I told you to go away. But I have to decline. Still have some unfinished business to do here, so I'll stay behind and continue working for Skia._

**_Chris: _**_I guess I can't pressure you, then. Still, thanks for everything._

* * *

The black-haired boy just grunted, resisting the tempting urge to throw his phone into a wall and choosing to dump the object on his bed, and wrapped a towel around his damp hair as he sat himself down in front of the computer's screen.

Only half an hour passed, but he couldn't quite muster the willpower to carry on—besides, he was already done with a day's worth of getting through the system. Corisande had asked someone more professional concerning the security around Chris' cell, and it was proving to be a bother.

He got up, exiting the small room and making his way down the corridor to a ward that reeked of disinfectant and blood that someone had tried to wash away long ago.

Opening the door by just a fraction—he didn't quite have the courage to venture further—he stole a glimpse of the sleeping woman in the hospital bed, watching as her heartbeats ticked by at an achingly slow rate and glaring at the mask strapped to her face.

"I promise I'll get us out of here someday." His eyes hardened as he muttered the sentence under his breath. "Mother."

* * *

**i'm sorry for dying on all of my stories? :"))**


End file.
